Truemors
is reporting from
Member
NP Rank:
NP Rank:
Transgender Contestant to Compete on ANTM
Share: 
by Jarrett Martineau | August 14, 2008 at 12:44 pm
584 views | 0 Recommendations | 2 comments
Videos
Photos
It's still hard for me to think of ANTM as being culturally and socially progressive, given that the show's purpose is to focus on an incredibly narrow definition of 'female beauty', but this is still an interesting development in the show's evolution. Let's hope, however, that the transgendered contestant is not being included simply to be objectified, exoticized, criticized, ridiculed, and picked apart.
Oh wait, that's what every contestant is subjected to.
One of the 14 girls who will compete on the new season of America's Next Top Model – which returns to The CW on September 3 – is transgender."My cards were dealt differently," Isis, a 22-year-old former receptionist, tells Us Weekly exclusively in its new issue, on newsstands now.
Hailing from Prince George's County, Maryland, Isis identifies herself as "a woman born physically male."
Will she be a role model?
"I like to help people, but I'm here to follow my dreams," she tells Us.
The inclusion of Isis is being hailed by GLAAD president Neil Giuliano as "an unprecedented opportunity for a community that is underrepresented on television.
"We applaud Tyra Banks and The CW for making this historic visibility of transgender people possible," Giuliano said.
What is NowPublic?
NowPublic lets people work together to cover news events around the world.
Crowd Power
These members have powered this story:
melnspring22
Dickinson, Texas, United States
Jason Sanders
Vancouver, Canada
biig boie
Canadaposhadeline
Philippines
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (2)
at 17:52 on August 14th, 2008
i love chantal in this pic...
she stands out...
love it....
poshadeline has contributed a photo to this story.
at 07:15 on August 16th, 2008
I'm incredibly happy that a transgender is competing on Cycle 11 of ANTM! This will be a big inspiration to every transgendered human being in America and perhaps around the world, just like how Heather on Cycle 9 who has Aspergers Syndrome (mild form of autism) was an inspiration to autistic people! She appeared on Cycle 10 for the homeless shoot, and did an amasing job! I'm glad Tyra did the right thing and allowed her a sopt in the competition! Best of luck to Isis in the near future!
biig boie has contributed a photo to this story.