YouTuber Nikita Dragun Targeted By Transmisogynist Harrassment: 'This Is How Trans People Die'

Dragun addressed a video from former Vine star Taylor Caniff in which he mocked and misgendered her

By Joan Summers  |  June 16, 2021 | 10:00pm
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YouTuber Nikita Dragun Targeted By Transmisogynist Harrassment: 'This Is How Trans People Die'
Image:BACKGRID (Backgrid)

On Tuesday, Netflix reality star and notorious Youtuber Nikita Dragun shared footage in which Taylor Caniff, a former Vine star once popular for his involvement in MagCon, openly mocked and misgendered her on Instagram Stories. In a clip she said was sent to her by people on Caniff’s “close friends” list, Caniff secretly filmed Dragun in public while out as a restaurant. He can be heard saying: “I tell a security guard […] did you guys know that’s a dude? They absolutely looked like I threw a stun grenade in the back of the security lounge.”

Business Insider reports that shortly after the video surfaced online, Dragun shared the clip on Instagram, alongside a response to Caniff on the effects of lobbing transmisogyny at trans women in public, or even private.

“This is what it’s like to be trans. My livelihood is constantly threatened by just living my life as a trans person and I’m so embarrassed to even be showing this video but it’s reality. It’s what’s really fucking happening in the world. I try to be strong and hold my head up high and act like I’m not terrified that something like this will happen to me. This is how trans women die.”

Business Insider reports that Caniff later went live to his 2.5 million followers and claimed that Dragun was calling him out for “clout,” and that his comments were meant to be a “joke.”

On Twitter, she also expressed concern for the man she was recorded with by Caniff:

Dragun is best known for her Youtube channel and Instagram career. She’s also publicly entangled with Jeffree Star and Tati Westbrook, with whom she feuded during the great James Charles meltdown of 2019. She also runs in the same social circles as other popular TikTok and Youtube celebrities like the D’Amelios, Tana Mongeau, Kylie Jenner, the Hype House, and at one point, James Charles. Dragun also has an upcoming Netflix reality show with the members of TikTok’s Hype House.

Representatives for Dragun did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On another note, I’d just like to point out this caption from Kourtney Kardashian’s Instagram: “post-matcha, pre-zoodles fitting, lifestyle courtesy of @poosh.” Sure, fine, whatever. My question is…. is that the outfit? And what do zoodles have to do with it. She won’t be wearing the zoodles, will she?