It was only January 13 when YouTube beauty blogger Nikkie Tutorials dropped some major news. This was a story that not even Raven could foresee. The 17-minute video she posted on YouTube titled, “I’m Coming Out”, left fans unsure of what she was coming out of. In late 2019, she was engaged to her long-time boyfriend. Many comments speculated that she may be bisexual, and others were way off mark. In the video, Nikkie came out as a proud transgender woman.
The heartfelt video earned over 33 million views and 2.8 million likes. After posting the video, Nikkie removed herself from all social media platforms out of fear of her fans’ responses. To her surprise, fans filled her comments with love and support. Many celebrities made posts sharing how proud they were of the beauty star. Nikkie is thankful that people in 2020 are a lot more progressive than earlier years. This has put her mind at ease a little since posting the video, but she is still fearful of those who might not be as understanding.
As lovely as this story sounds, its background may make you sick. Sadly, Nikkie's choice to come out on her time was taken from her. Prior to the release of the video, she was blackmailed. She refused to give the person’s name, but she said it was someone she knew personally. He had sent several threats claiming that he would leak her story to the press. He wanted to watch everything fall around her, but all he did was give her a head start. She was able to control her own narrative and she wouldn’t have had it any other way. In her viral hashtag, #IAMME, she wanted to ensure that fans know that she is the same Nikkie they have grown to love. In a time of such hate and bigotry, always remember that love will always prevail.