Trans influencer Nikita Dragun arrested and put in men’s jail: ‘Extremely disturbing and dangerous’
Beauty influencer Nikita Dragun. (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for YouTube Beauty)
Trans beauty influencer and Victoria’s Secret runway model, Nikita Dragun, has been released from a male prison after being arrested at a Miami hotel.
The successful YouTuber, who has more than 3.5 million subscribers on the platform, was arrested after police were called to the Goodtime Hotel in Miami Beach following reports she was acting in a disorderly way.
Dragun, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, was charged with one count of felony battery, disorderly conduct, and misdemeanour battery, Rolling Stone reports.
Following her arrest Dragun was placed in a male jail, and – despite having documents proving she is female – she was listed as male on her booking.
Florida law states trans inmates should be placed in gender-special prisons on a case-by-case basis, but too often trans people are wrongly jailed and housed.
In a hearing ahead of her release on Wednesday morning 9 November, Dragun requested to be moved from the men’s unit.
A video shows the social media star being asked by Judge Mindy Glazer how she would like to be referred to, to which she politely responds “she/her, please”.
Dragun then asked: “Do I have to stay here in the men’s unit still?”
In response Judge Glazer said she “didn’t make the rules” but said a separate area could be made, although it is not known if this happened.
A representative for Dragun told Rolling Stone: “The situation with Nikita, who is legally female, being placed in a men’s unit of a Florida jail is extremely disturbing and dangerous.
“This decision made by the Miami-Dade County Corrections Department directly violates their protocol, which mandates that transgender inmates are classified and housed based on safety needs and gender identity.”
https://twitter.com/NikitaDragun/status/1070453128321847296
Dragun was released will have to appear in court date in December. Her representative said she is now safe.
She has been ordered to stay away from the Goodtime Hotel.
Dragun launched her YouTube channel in 2013 and came out as trans two years later.
She was previously placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold after being picked up by police in another incident in May 2022.
