Hailey Bieber praised for defiant response to transphobic trolling on Owen Thiele’s podcast
– 1 min read
Hailey Bieber has earned widespread praise for her candid and affirming response to transphobic comments during her recent appearance on In Your Dreams, the podcast hosted by actor and friend Owen Thiele.
Speaking openly about the online abuse she’s received, Bieber addressed a recurring insult from internet trolls who claim she “looks trans”. Rather than taking offence, the 28-year-old model and entrepreneur flipped the narrative, challenging the notion that being transgender could ever be considered a negative.
“People are trying to be mean,” Bieber said. “They’re like, ‘She looks trans.’ And I’m like, why do you think that’s a diss? As if being trans is a diss? Some of the most beautiful women in the world - and men - are trans. So I just don’t take that offensively at all.”
Some of the most beautiful women in the world - and men - are trans.
The conversation began light-heartedly, with Bieber joking about her jeans bunching up and creating the illusion of a “pants tent”. When Thiele quipped, “Hailey, you’re hard,” she laughed and replied, “The rumours are true,” before delving into the more serious topic of transphobic trolling.
Her remarks have been widely celebrated online, with fans applauding her for “clapping back” at hate with grace and empathy. One YouTube commenter called it “Queen behaviour,” while another praised her for “clocking people using ‘trans’ as an insult.”
Bieber’s comments come amid a broader cultural reckoning with online hate and transphobia. In 2023, she joined other celebrities and LGBTQ+ allies in signing an open letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, calling for stronger action against anti-trans rhetoric on social media platforms.
