Transgender Modeling
In 2010 Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci featured Brazilian model Lea T in a series of high profile ads which catapulted her to international success and brought a spotlight on the world of transgender modeling. However, Lea T is far from the first trans model; she is one of many trans and gender variant models who have graced the world of art, fashion and entertainment. From Warhol Superstar Candy Darling and England’s Caroline “Tula” Cossey to more contemporary figures like, Andreja Pejic, America’s Next Top Model contestant Isis King, Orange is the New Black star Laverne Cox, Internet celebrity B. Scott and actress Candis Cayne, trans and gender variant models are a growing, but hardly new, phenomenon.
Here’s some quick gender theory. Sex, gender identity/expression, and sexual orientation are components that make up everyone’s identity. Sex refers to physical characteristics (i.e., genitals and other secondary features). Gender identity /expression refers to an individual’s “mental” gender and how they choose to present themselves. Sexual orientation refers to preference of sexual partners. Not strictly binary (female/male, feminine/masculine, heterosexual/homosexual), each of these characteristics can be seen as ranges that represent a wide variety of identities and expressions.
Model: Chelsea Von Chastity; Photographer: Jenna Doughtry
Transgender is an umbrella term that refers to those individuals whose gender identity and/or expression does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. The transgender umbrella includes a wide range of individuals and can encompass identities ranging from transsexuals (those who undergo medical procedures to help live as their desired gender), to crossdressers, drag performers, genderfluid/genderqueer individuals, and even those who identify as androgynous. Gender identity can be simple or complex, but for many it is a key part of their identity, as Van Burnham (who wrote a great piece on androgynous modeling) explains: “I don’t feel like a boy, and I don’t feel like a girl, but I love both of these things.” Many transgendered individuals openly and proudly embrace trans as a part of their identity, while others – most frequently those post-transition – may prefer to simply identity as male or female.
Models: SageBell & Van Burnham; Photographer: Visioluxus
“Transition” is the term most often used for the social and medical changes that an individual can make to match their presentation with their desired gender identity. Transition can involve counseling, hormonal therapy, gender reassignment and other surgeries depending on the individual’s needs. Not every trans-identified person transitions, and many opt for only some of the available medical options both out of cost (gender reassignment costs can reach into the tens of thousands of dollars) and out of personal preference.
Transgender models can find work within the modeling community ranging from alt modeling to traditional modeling in many of the same ways others models can, particularly as acceptance and understanding of the trans community grows. While the fashion world has tended to embrace more male-to-female (MtF) trans individuals in prominent roles, female-to-male (FtM) trans people have become more visible recently with the high-profile coming out of Chaz Bono and through the work of magazines like Amos Mac’s Original Plumbing and well-known adult model Buck Angel, among others. With the small but growing ranks of models like Andrej Pejic and Casey Legler who identify as one gender but model as the other, there are likely to be more opportunities for models who work outside of the traditional gender lines.
Model: Shelbe Chang; Photographer: John Lewis Rushing Jr
There are as many reasons to work with trans models as there are variations of transgendered identities. Working with a trans models is not dramatically different than working with any other type of model, but a little extra sensitivity, respect, and openness will go a long way to creating good rapport between photographer and model.
One of the biggest challenges for trans and gender variant models is still exposure, according to Chelsea Von Chastity. Trans and gender variant models still face challenges in finding photographers and both professional and amateur opportunities. “The only challenge I have experienced is being asked to model for a photographer only for them to come back and say they didn’t really look at my portfolio. They sometimes do not want to shoot because they realize I am a TS [transsexual],” Malina Thoeun said.
However, these attitudes are changing. Both in the United States and abroad, the prevalence of high profile trans models and entertainers, as well as the growth of alternative modeling, has made for a more receptive environment. Still, trans and gender variant models are often in a position of representing trans individuals on the whole. “One is placed in a situation to represent a group of stigmatized individuals who are often stealth in their presentation, but can be rather beautiful as well,” Chelsea Von Chastity said.
Model: Chelsea Von Chastity; Makeup Artist: Tshidi; Photographer: ImageWorksNE
Many of these models have a strong sense of pride in their identity and work, which might be the largest theme of the trans community in the 21st century. Shelbe Chang sums it up nicely: “My goal is to empower the transgender community and allow our voices to be heard through acting, dialogue, and photography.” Ultimately those voices are becoming heard, and trans and gender variant models are finding more opportunities in a variety of fields.
Model: Shelbe Chang; Photographer: John Lewis Rushing Jr
In 2012, trans model and Vancouver, BC, native Jenna Talackova registered to compete as part of the Miss Universe Canada pageant but was initially barred from competition. News media quickly picked up on the story, and within days a petition collected tens of thousands of signatures to get Talackova in the pageant. Amid mounting pressure from lawyers and the general public, the pageant ownership reversed its decision and allowed Talackova to compete. She reached the top 12.
Model: Van Burnham; Makeup Artist: by Elise; Photographer: Phillip Ritchie
Ultimately the work of all these models, high and low profile, helps to shift attitudes and make trans and gender variant modeling an established piece of the modeling world. “Generally, the biggest reward is seeing people’s reactions to the photographs. It really means a lot to me when people write and say that one of my photographs opened their eyes to gender,” Van Burnham said.
July 17, 2022 at 1:08 pm, Daniel said:
I am looking for transgender models for a shoot.
May 03, 2018 at 12:34 pm, Uncle Ben Coleman said:
Awesome! I am looking to help males become females with Drag make-up accents in the SF bay area.
October 09, 2017 at 6:42 pm, Raymond Tudor said:
I am mtf trans
October 09, 2017 at 6:42 pm, Raymond Tudor said:
I am known as anna
May 06, 2017 at 2:20 pm, Lee Hoverkamp said:
How do you become a transgender model I am ftm and I am interested in modeling but not sure how to go about doing it
November 18, 2016 at 2:19 am, Marco Voet said:
They are always welkom at my studio 😉
November 06, 2015 at 11:18 am, Emma Aquino said:
I am so proud to be a transgender. I hope I could try to model. People tells me I should be because I am tall and slim but Philippines isn’t open for that yet for someone like me. :/
October 30, 2015 at 2:57 pm, Araya Hazel Mae Henry said:
Hello,
My name is Araya. I am a transgender female and i have not started to transition yet, so i still have a male body although i love the idea of dressing as a girl and i would if i had money to go shopping. I have just turned 18 and looking for possible job for the summer of 2016 to pay for college as i will be graduated in June and i need to save up a little for college. I was wondering if modeling would be a good idea and if so if any of you knew how i could go about doing that. please help if you can. you may either reply on here, email me, or contact me by phone.
My email is: [email protected]
My phone number is: 830-890-1632
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Sincerely,
Araya Henry
June 16, 2015 at 6:40 am, Shawn3333 said:
Eager to expand my portfolio to include androgynous/transgender shoots. Just getting the word out there so it becomes a seed for things to start happening:-) Cheers, Shawn…
March 27, 2015 at 3:09 am, boykitten said:
I am a model and I was born female and have some male secondary sex characteristics.
I find many photographers won’t work with me because they “don’t work with male models”, and, although I am often boyish and have posed as male, I naturally do have boobs and a vagina! There are even some within that camp who don’t even bother looking at my portfolio because the name I use contains the word ‘boy’.
I tend to present as one or the other when modelling, although I don’t identify as either, but I’d love to work with more photographers who accept that I’m not just a boy or a girl – I’m a model.
February 16, 2015 at 10:39 am, Cynthia Cunningham said:
i’m just wondering how a transgendered individual can become a model. any suggestions? i’m a mtf, 6 ft, 170, and workout regularly
December 31, 2014 at 10:43 am, Joanna AP said:
I’m transgender looking for a photographer.
November 18, 2016 at 2:20 am, Marco Voet said:
I’m from antwerp, and your more than welkom 😉
October 08, 2014 at 5:46 pm, Jay Alexander Mitchell said:
I am a transman- preop- and i was thinking about maybe doing modeling but not sure who will photograph transmen and where to start. Ive never modeled before but its a dream of mine. If anyone could help, thanks.
January 31, 2014 at 9:59 am, Roxanna Molina said:
Any photographer in LA looking for a model look me up on facebook or instagram by “roxyroxy10”
January 16, 2014 at 6:21 pm, ChicagoTGirl said:
As a transgender model, thank you MM for trying to educate the community about who we are. However, a few remarks for improvement are in order.
Thomas Briggs made an excellent comment here. Model Mayhem has no way of identifying transgender models! Just the Male-Female binary. Rather ironic that this article speaks in such glowing terms of a future with trans modeling opportunities … but cannot add another profile check-box to help make that happen.
Also, this article suggests that any transgender person who hasn’t had genital reassignment surgery is a cross-dresser or drag queen. That is absolutely wrong. Actually the post-op transsexuals are the exception now. I’m a non-op transsexual and proud of it. But I am not a cross-dresser doing this for a hobby, a kink, or a thrill. If a photographer is uncertain a transgender model’s anatomical status, they should just ask, politely and discretely, instead of jumping to conclusions.
Lastly, I would ask photographers to be honest about why they want a trans model. If you’re looking for the “freak show” aspect, our novel arrangement of sexual characteristics on one body, just be honest about it. I had one photographer swear up and down he just wanted to capture “the real me”, but insisted I show my male genitalia, which I refuse to do on any shoot. He got a little confused when I pointed out that few of his female models had to show their genitals …
January 16, 2014 at 4:49 pm, Thomas Briggs said:
So Model Mayhem does this very nice article, but they don’t have any selection in looking for a model of transgender. There is just male or female. I’d love to build a transgender portfolio, but how am I to find the models without some help from MM?
January 16, 2014 at 10:48 pm, Malina Tea said:
Thomas Briggs, as a female who happens to be a TS.. I appreciate the fact that there is only two selections (M/F). If I’m legally recognized as female, I wouldn’t want to be under a “umbrella” term. Most profiles for Transgendered women will state it on their profile.
May 04, 2023 at 11:04 pm, Eric said:
This is true, but if trying to make a specific search, MM is not helpful. Here in Thailand they make the distinction and searches are easy, but only thru agencies.
December 30, 2013 at 8:46 am, Sora No O said:
I’m quite happy with modelling transgender.
December 24, 2013 at 6:32 pm, Wanderlust Smith said:
Great to see trans models get exposure!
December 23, 2013 at 6:48 am, Ashley Bottoms said:
…and I was beginning to think that I was the only one…lol.
December 22, 2013 at 1:25 pm, Benge Photography said:
I am very open to shooting transgender. I don’t feel that beauty is defined by a solid line.
December 31, 2014 at 10:34 am, Joanna AP said:
that’s so sweet of you,I’m a transgender and i’m glad to find people like you.
October 12, 2015 at 10:16 am, ⠀⠀⠀⠀edward⠀⠀⠀⠀ said:
i’m an ftm trans 🙂
December 22, 2013 at 1:22 pm, Robert Benge said:
I am very open to transgender and any other kind of photography
December 22, 2013 at 12:45 pm, Lexi said:
I’m proud to be trans (Post op MtF) but I still find it really difficult to find photographers even tho more are open minded. Tho after reading this I think I may begin to look harder. Thank you so much for posting this!!
December 22, 2013 at 10:15 am, Amy Boatwright said:
I have done so many queen Photo shoots its not even funny If I had a chance to work with a Trans model I would In a heart beat.
December 21, 2013 at 10:39 pm, John Cockrill said:
im so glad to have read this. im a crossdresser and its such a big part of who i am and im always very paranoid that i wouldn’t be able to get into modeling and just being looked at just a boy in a dress. this just boosted my confidence a lot.
December 21, 2013 at 12:40 pm, jamie lightning said:
I’m happy to be transgender!!!