Much deserved attention is being paid to a current petition calling for Victoria's Secret to include transgender model and all-around stunner Carmen Carrera in photoshoots, campaigns and even the 2013 fashion show, which walks in New York this week. Though it'd be an amazingly bold move for the lingerie brand, it's also unlikely and would reek of click-bait tokenism anyway. That said, Carrera is far from the only trans model fit for the campy catwalk spectacle. Here's a selection (that's by no means exhaustive) of other worthy candidates:
1. Lea T
Fashion model Lea T underwent gender reassignment in March 2012. A much-favored muse for designer Riccardo Tisci, Lea has featured on Givenchy's runways and in the fashion brand's campaigns, as well as many other fashion ads. She also landed a cover of LOVE magazine on which she got to make out with Kate Moss.
2. Jenna Talackova
After transitioning as a teenager, Talackova made headlines last year after being disqualified from the Canadian Miss Universe pageant for being transgender. Lawyer Gloria Allred rushed to her side, and the pageant's owner Donald Trump eventually reversed his decision to DQ Talackova — who later placed in the top 12, and won the pageant's Miss Congeniality award.
3. Isis King
The tenth cycle of America's Next Top Model included a photoshoot where the contestants posed with homeless women. One of these extras just happened to be Isis King, then working through a transitional living program sponsored by the Ali Forney Center, an organization supporting homeless LGBT youth in New York. King's poses impressed Tyra Banks so much that she landed a spot on Top Model's next cycle — she placed tenth (and later came back for the show's "All Star" cycle, where she placed eleventh).
Following an appearance on Banks' talk show (which is sorely missed), King received gender reassignment surgery. She has since made Outmagazine's top 100 and been the face of American Apparel's "Legalize Gay" campaigns.Honorable mention: a fellow trans Top Model contestant, Choi Han-Bit, who competed in the third season of the show's Korean edition before landing other acting gigs.
4. Valentijn de Hingh
Dutch model and literature student de Hingh's transition was filmed over the course of 9 years for a documentary. She's appeared on the runways, in fashion magazines and also on the Dutch reality show Expedition Robinson, which served as the precursor forSurvivor. Last year, she also gave a great TED talkdiscussing her journey, called "Why Did I Choose?"
5. Laverne Cox
While working as a server at infamous drag bar Lucky Cheng's in New York, Laverne Cox landed a spot in the cast of 2008 reality show I Want To Work For Diddy. Sure, she didn't win the show, but can you name the winner? No. So there. Since then she's appeared as a mentor on VH1's makeover show TRANSform Me and is currently appearing on the wonderful Netflix series Orange is the New Black.
Honorable mentions: Cox's TRANSform Me co-hosts Jamie Clayton and Nina Poon, both of whom would also bring it on the runway.
6. Cayne
Though deservedly well-known for her role as a drag performer in New York, Cayne gained national attention for her role as Carmelita, a transgendered character on the ABC drama Dirty Sexy Money. No Victoria's Secret show should be complete without someone called Carmelita.
7. Rau
Ines Rau is having a moment right now thanks to an editorial with Tyson Beckford in the new issue of OOB, a French fashion magazine, that's so steamy my glasses have legit fogged up.Marvel at it all here, I encourage you. Rau is a 24 year-old model based in Paris, who transitioned at 16. While she's just getting started in the industry, she's got the body to go FAR.
8. Amanda Lepore
I mean, come on. Could we leave this lady out? No way. Fuck yes Amanda Lepore. She's a New York nightlife legend, a favorite of photographer David LaChapelle and a fashion icon on her own right. Also, this music video is epic. Her presence on the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway would be a moment like no other — she'd have even the hardiest VS icons quaking in their underpants.
Oh, and who should be the show's musical act? That's an obvious one — some moreDrag Racealumnae, in the form of season four queen Willam and season five's Detox, who perform with fellow L.A. queen Vicky Vox. Here's an example of their electropop wonder — you'll be listening to this all day:
1. Lea T
Fashion model Lea T underwent gender reassignment in March 2012. A much-favored muse for designer Riccardo Tisci, Lea has featured on Givenchy's runways and in the fashion brand's campaigns, as well as many other fashion ads. She also landed a cover of LOVE magazine on which she got to make out with Kate Moss.
2. Jenna Talackova
After transitioning as a teenager, Talackova made headlines last year after being disqualified from the Canadian Miss Universe pageant for being transgender. Lawyer Gloria Allred rushed to her side, and the pageant's owner Donald Trump eventually reversed his decision to DQ Talackova — who later placed in the top 12, and won the pageant's Miss Congeniality award.
3. Isis King
The tenth cycle of America's Next Top Model included a photoshoot where the contestants posed with homeless women. One of these extras just happened to be Isis King, then working through a transitional living program sponsored by the Ali Forney Center, an organization supporting homeless LGBT youth in New York. King's poses impressed Tyra Banks so much that she landed a spot on Top Model's next cycle — she placed tenth (and later came back for the show's "All Star" cycle, where she placed eleventh).
Following an appearance on Banks' talk show (which is sorely missed), King received gender reassignment surgery. She has since made Outmagazine's top 100 and been the face of American Apparel's "Legalize Gay" campaigns.Honorable mention: a fellow trans Top Model contestant, Choi Han-Bit, who competed in the third season of the show's Korean edition before landing other acting gigs.
4. Valentijn de Hingh
Dutch model and literature student de Hingh's transition was filmed over the course of 9 years for a documentary. She's appeared on the runways, in fashion magazines and also on the Dutch reality show Expedition Robinson, which served as the precursor forSurvivor. Last year, she also gave a great TED talkdiscussing her journey, called "Why Did I Choose?"
5. Laverne Cox
While working as a server at infamous drag bar Lucky Cheng's in New York, Laverne Cox landed a spot in the cast of 2008 reality show I Want To Work For Diddy. Sure, she didn't win the show, but can you name the winner? No. So there. Since then she's appeared as a mentor on VH1's makeover show TRANSform Me and is currently appearing on the wonderful Netflix series Orange is the New Black.
Honorable mentions: Cox's TRANSform Me co-hosts Jamie Clayton and Nina Poon, both of whom would also bring it on the runway.
6. Cayne
Though deservedly well-known for her role as a drag performer in New York, Cayne gained national attention for her role as Carmelita, a transgendered character on the ABC drama Dirty Sexy Money. No Victoria's Secret show should be complete without someone called Carmelita.
7. Rau
Ines Rau is having a moment right now thanks to an editorial with Tyson Beckford in the new issue of OOB, a French fashion magazine, that's so steamy my glasses have legit fogged up.Marvel at it all here, I encourage you. Rau is a 24 year-old model based in Paris, who transitioned at 16. While she's just getting started in the industry, she's got the body to go FAR.
8. Amanda Lepore
I mean, come on. Could we leave this lady out? No way. Fuck yes Amanda Lepore. She's a New York nightlife legend, a favorite of photographer David LaChapelle and a fashion icon on her own right. Also, this music video is epic. Her presence on the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway would be a moment like no other — she'd have even the hardiest VS icons quaking in their underpants.
Oh, and who should be the show's musical act? That's an obvious one — some moreDrag Racealumnae, in the form of season four queen Willam and season five's Detox, who perform with fellow L.A. queen Vicky Vox. Here's an example of their electropop wonder — you'll be listening to this all day:
