In a recent
episode of the TokeMoments audiovisual podcast hosted by Toke Makinwa,
controversial
crossdresser, Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, popularly known as
Bobrisky, revealed that he was deported from the United Arab Emirates due to
his appearance differing from the photo on his passport. The reason for this,
according to Bobrisky, was because of the country’s Islamic laws which prohibit
cross-dressing.
Bobrisky
claimed to have visited Dubai multiple times in the past without any issues,
but on this occasion, he was deported due to it being on a jumʿah day, a
special day of prayer in Islam. Upon arriving at the airport, he was approached
by immigration officers who questioned whether he was the same person as the
one depicted in his passport. Bobrisky, who was wearing a lot of makeup at the
time, explained that he had transitioned from male to female, which caused some
confusion among the officers.
The officers
then took him to a private office where they asked whether he was trans, to
which he responded that he used to be male. They explained that on a normal
day, he would have been allowed to enter the country, but due to it being a
jumʿah day, they were unable to do so. Bobrisky recounted the incident, saying
that the officers rejected his face several times when he tried to use the face
camera at immigration. He added that he likes to brag about traveling first
class and being in Dubai, which may have contributed to his heavy makeup on the
day of the incident.
Bobrisky’s
deportation from the UAE highlights the country’s strict laws regarding
cross-dressing and LGBTQ+ issues. Despite these laws, Dubai is known to be a
popular tourist destination, attracting millions of visitors each year.
