Gigi Hadid takes a stand. In a new interview with iD, the model spoke about her Arab heritage, the experience of white privilege, how it affects her parenting style and more.
“In some situations I feel – or are made to feel – that I am too white to defend part of my Arab heritage,” said Hadid, whose father is the Jordanian-American real estate mogul. Mohamed Hadid. Her mother is a former model and former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Yolanda Hadid.
“You go through life trying to figure out where you stand racially,” she continued. “Is what I am or what I have enough to do what I think is right?” But then, also, is enjoying the privilege of having whiteness in me, isn’t it? Am I allowed to speak for this side of me, or is it something that I don’t have enough experience to know? “
For Gigi, these questions also play into the way she is raising daughter Khai, whom she welcomed last year with her longtime sweetheart, Zayn Malik.
“I think Khai will grow up feeling that she can or wants to be a bridge for her different ethnicities,” she explained. “But I think it will be good to be able to have these conversations and see where she’s coming from [with] her, without being forced to do that. What comes from her is what excites me the most, and being able to add to that or answer her questions, you know? “
Check out the full interview here.
