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Gigi Hadid hits back at critics, and also speaks out about the challenges she faces as a biracial model

Posted by Ando, 20 Nov

Photo credit: JStone / Shutterstock.com

Gigi Hadid – easily one of the most in-demand models of the moment – has hit back at her critics in the best and feistiest way possible.

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Sick of being told that she doesn’t “deserve” to be where she is because of her privileged upbringing, Gigi Hadid set the record straight once and for all….

"People say that I don’t deserve to be where I am because I come from this successful family, but my parents were f*cking hardworking," the 23-year-old said in Sydney, at the launch of her collaboration with Reebok.

"My dad was a refugee. My mom was on a farm, went to New York, and worked to send money back to her family,” she continued.

“They worked their ass*s off, and they’ve given me a life because of their hard work, and I work hard to honor that.

"I shouldn’t stay in my house because people say, 'You don’t deserve to be here because they were successful'. That’s not how I consider it in my house."

Way to go, Gigi. And for the record, we are not one of those critics, and think that you and sister Bella Hadid are doing an amazing job!

The model didn’t end things there though. She also opened up about the challenges she has faced as a bi-racial model – and it’s definitely something a lot of people can identify with!

"When I shot the cover, I wasn’t 'Arab enough' to be representing those girls, even though I’m half-Palestinian. I’m as Palestinian as I am Dutch. Just because I have blonde hair, I still carry the value of my ancestors, and I appreciate and respect that,” she said about the criticism she faced when being on a Middle Eastern magazine cover.

"I talk about this with my boyfriend Zayn Malik too: He’s half-Pakistani, half-English.

“I feel like when you’re mixed-race, when you come from two different worlds, you get to see how both sides treat each other, and you feel like the bridge of those two sides."

Here, here!

Thank you Gigi Hadid for opening people’s eyes, and hopefully broadening people’s minds.