Imane Khelif's stunning feminine transformation goes viral after Paris olympics gender controversy | Watch
PTC News Desk: After causing a significant gender controversy at the Paris Olympics, Imane Khelif has captivated the internet with her dramatic feminine transformation. The Algerian boxer clinched gold in the 66kg category by defeating Chinese opponent Yang Liu, but her triumph was marred by a heated debate over her gender identity.
The controversy erupted when Italian boxer Angela Carini withdrew from her bout against Khelif after only 46 seconds. Following this, Khelif faced a wave of transphobic abuse on social media, with critics using a dubious gender test as the basis for their attacks. Many trolls criticised Khelif’s appearance, claiming she "looked like a male," which intensified the online harassment.
Take a look at the video below:
In response to the negativity, Khelif decided to address her critics directly by sharing a video of her makeover. The video, created in collaboration with Beauty Code, depicts her transformation to align more closely with traditional feminine beauty standards. The makeover includes a chic blow-dried hairstyle, earrings, a pink blouse, and makeup.
The video, posted on Khelif’s Instagram account, quickly went viral, amassing an astonishing 20 million views. It was also widely shared on X (formerly Twitter), where it garnered 11 million views and a flood of comments.
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Despite the video’s popularity, not all feedback was positive. Some comments continued to challenge the authenticity of her transformation, with critics disparagingly referring to her as "a man wearing makeup" and "a man wearing eyeliner."
Amid the furor, Khelif expressed her emotional response to the situation. She emphasized her identity, stating, “I want to tell the entire world that I am a female, and I will remain a female.” Additionally, Khelif has taken legal action against the online abuse she faced, naming prominent figures like Elon Musk and JK Rowling in her lawsuit for their objectionable posts related to her case.
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- With inputs from agencies
