12 transgender models who are changing the industry

Frank OlitoJun 17, 2020, 20:13 IST

Valentina Sampaio is a transgender model.Tommaso Boddi/ Getty

Transgender models are changing the modeling industry, making it more inclusive.
Transgender women like Hunter Schafer, Valentina Sampaio, Hari Nef, and MiMi Tao are making waves in the world of modeling.
Similarly, transgender men like Nathan Westling, Chella Man, and Laith Ashley are also game-changing models.

Transgender people have had a long, complicated history in the modeling industry. In the '60s, April Ashley, for example, was a popular underwear model in Vogue, but when a British newspaper revealed she was a transgender woman, she never modeled in the country again.

Today, the modeling industry is starting to be more open and accepting of the idea that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes — no matter the gender.

Here are some of the top transgender models in the industry today.

Hunter Schafer made a name for herself as a transgender model before starring in HBO's "Euphoria."

Hunter Schafer. Jeff Kravitz/ Getty

Valentina Sampaio is Victoria's Secret's first transgender model.

Valentina Sampaio. Tommaso Boddi/ Getty

Nathan Westling is one of the most high-profile transgender male models in the industry.

Nathan Westling. Yuchen Liao/ Getty

Andreja Pejic was known as an androgynous model before coming out as transgender in 2014.

Andreja Pejic. Maria Moratti/Contigo/ Getty

Leyna Bloom was one of the first trans models at New York Fashion Week in 2017.

Leyna Bloom. Francois Durand/ Getty

Chella Man is the first deaf, transgender person to sign to a major modeling agency.

Chella Man. John Lamparski/ Getty

Teddy Quinlivan worked as a model on some of the biggest runways for two years before coming out.

Teddy Quinlivan. Edward Berthelot/ Getty

Laith Ashley has been out as transgender since his career began.

Laith Ashley. Santiago Felipe/ Getty

Hari Nef is one of the first transgender people to be signed to a modeling agency.

Hari Nef. Santiago Felipe/ Getty

Kenny Ethan Jones made a name for himself when he became the first transgender man to star in a campaign about menstruation.

Kenny Ethan Jones. David M. Benett/ Getty

MiMi Tao has become the first openly transgender model on "Project Runway."

MiMi Tao. JP Yim/ Getty

Lea T was the first transgender woman to be the face of a global beauty campaign.

Lea T. Rosdiana Ciaravolo/ Getty

Mercedes just unveiled a new cheapest model of its high-performance AMG GT lineup: a $89,900 '4-door coupe'

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