Lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret has just reached a watershed moment. The company has cast its first out-transgender model for a photo shoot.
22-year-old Valentina Sampaio of Brazil will become the first trans model to grace the pages of the famed catalog, sporting the VS Pink line, the company’s athletic brand.
“Never stop dreaming,” Sampaio said in celebration of her casting via Instagram.
Related: Male Model Andrej Pejic Would Become A Woman (For A Victoria’s Secret Contract)
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News of the announcement also attracted overwhelmingly positive feedback from other celebrities and queer rights groups. GLAAD trumpeted the move as a positive step toward equality. Transgender actress Laverne Cox took to Sampaio’s social media to congratulate the model. “Wow, finally!” Cox wrote.
The move to hire Sampaio comes as Victoria’s Secret has come under recent fire both for oversexualizing its models, and for anti-transgender posturing. Last year, Ed Razek, chief marketing officer of the company, expressed disgust at the thought of hiring transgender models. Though he later dialed back his remarks, the company announced his retirement this week.
A few more pics of Sampaio in action…
Related: How Nikita Dragun, a trans woman, schooled Victoria’s Secret & launched her own cosmetics line
Kangol2
She’s/they’re stunning. Congrats to Valentina Sampaio & good move, Victoria’s Secret!
Max
beautiful!
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Good on her!
msfrost
Contrary, to Homophobic myths, none look like men in dresses, they all have a very feminine figure.
ShiningSex
Beautiful