While walking along the street, a man approaches you from behind, brusquely grabs you and lifts you without warning. You did not expect this act, you did not consent to this act and you do not even know this person. This is assault.
Gigi Hadid, internationally renowned model, exited the Max Mara fashion show in Milan on Thursday with sister Bella to this very scenario. International prankster, Vitalii Sediuk, claimed responsibility for the attack. The word “attack” and not “prank” is specifically used because it was just that — an attack.
Sediuk is not new to the world of shock-and-awe publicity, after previously confronting Vogue editor and fashion icon Anna Wintour and award-winning actor Brad Pitt. However, this confrontation crosses the line from prank to assault.
Sediuk forcibly touched Hadid, lifting her without her consent in a hectic and chaotic area. By doing so, he demonstrated that he does not understand a joke but certainly understands male privilege, particularly in relation to young females and their bodies.
In justification for the assault, Sediuk claimed he was encouraging the “fashion industry to put true talents on the runway and Vogue covers instead of well-connected cute girls from Instagram,” in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
It is very easy to hide behind the guise of humor or art. It’s sort of like the schoolyard bully telling the principal that it was all “just a joke,” while the bullying victim cries in the corner.
One does not make a statement about high fashion, particularly one as petty as demeaning the high fashion status of Gigi Hadid, by assaulting her, or anyone for that matter. Sediuk quickly deflected any responsibility for his actions, choosing to remain oblivious to the issues of assault plaguing thousands of women each day.
To reiterate the point, this is not a prank, it is an assault, and assault is not entertainment.
Immediately following the assault, a spate of headlines hit the internet with varying reactions to the assault. Some applauded Hadid’s badass response, others bashed her aggression. Both deserve responses.
Certainly, Hadid’s moves were celebratory, with a strong elbow to the face and language salty enough to make your mom cringe, but the fact is that she shouldn’t have to do this. Hadid shouldn’t have to prove her strength on an attacker, because she should not be attacked in the first place, let alone as a sick joke.
Furthermore, less outlets should be shocked that a female can be strong enough to ward off a malicious advance. Females and feminine individuals are strong in many ways, physically being one of them. Hadid herself turns to boxing as a form of exercise, explaining the impressive moves, and proved in a Vogue video that she could throw punches all day. This should be celebrated, but not under the circumstances of self-defense.
Her aggression is not something to be diminished. When someone is threatening the personal well-being of any individual, an aggressive response with the justification of self-defense is warranted.
Gigi Hadid, like anyone experiencing assault, is a human being first and foremost. Following the attack, she was visibly shaken, threatening the man and being held back by bodyguards. Her very real and emotional response spoke to the manner of the attack as an assault. However, as a celebrity, she was lucky enough to be surrounded by bodyguards and a protective younger sister. What about the thousands of women who experience assault every day and do not have a bodyguard? They must endure this silently, and Vitalii Sediuk’s actions blatantly disrespect their struggle.
