Transitioning from male to female has got to be a bit easier if you’re a drop-dead gorgeous woman, but that doesn’t make us any less happy for model Andreja Pejic who yesterday announced she’s made the switch to female for good and will only be modeling women’s fashion going forward.
The 22-year-old Australian beauty spoke publicly from GLAAD headquarters in New York about her gender reassignment, then later posted this photo to her Facebook page, accompanied by this message:
“I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the love and support throughout the years. You’ve all helped me through this journey and I have learned a lot and really come into my own and the response to today’s announcement truly overwhelmed me and reminds me of why I chose to do this publicly.
I think we all evolve as we get older and that’s normal but I like to think that my recent transition hasn’t made me into a different individual. Same person, no difference at all just a different sex I hope you can all understand that.
I would also like to to reach out to all young gender non-conforming youth out there: I know it’s hard, I’ve been there, but remember it’s your right to be accepted as what you identify with—you deserve the same respect as any other human being on this planet. As a transgender woman I hope to show that after transition (a life-saving process) one can be happy and successful in their new chapter without having to alienate their past. Most importantly differences should not equal divisions, let’s all stand together in union. #betruebeyou”
Pejic has previously earned international attention from modeling men’s and women’s fashions, has appeared on the covers of Elle and NY Mag (among others) and costared with Tilda Swinton in David Bowie’s 2013 music video for “The Stars Are Out Tonight.” She also has a role in the upcoming Sofia Coppola rework of The Little Mermaid.
h/t GLAAD
Dxley
Who is he/she/it?
DarkZephyr
@Dxley: “he/she/it”? Why would you type that? Why would you describe a human being as an “it”? SHE is an internationally famous fashion model exactly as the article says.
michael mellor
Good luck to Andreja. I wish him all the happiness in the world. He has made himself look like a stereotypical woman but the reality is he will never produce an ovary.
NoelG
@michael mellor: You are an effing idiot.
Jacob23
Gee, how comforting that GLAAD is on top of this. Of course, it doesn’t have anything to do with media defamation and there is nothing in this story which requires their involvement. Meanwhile, they have yet to do anything about the offensive gay marriage story arc planned for Two and A Half Men. This is what happens when a 27-year old gay rights organization gets transjacked.
@DarkZephyr:
Just a few weeks ago, Queerty covered a story about a trans activist protest against Dan Savage. The trans activist leading the protest, whose name is Hex, demanded to be referred to as “it.” So you can hardly take Dxley to task. He is just trying to keep up with the latest trans-insanity.
DarkZephyr
@Jacob23: Oh please, don’t lay that nonsense on me. In the article she is referred to as “she” over and over again. CLEARLY that is what she wants to be called. One isolated person wanting to be called by what is normally used to be described as an inanimate object HARDLY justifies its use on ALL Transgender people. If a non-transgender person wanted to be called “dumb f***” would that justify ALL of us being called that?
@michael mellor: “Produce” an ovary? Yeah that’s true, she will never “produce” one. I have never heard of *any* woman, non-Trans or Trans who has ever been able to “produce” an ovary themselves. I know non-trans women tend to be BORN with them (though some unique non-trans women are actually born without, does that make them male in your eyes) but I have never heard of *anyone* being able to “produce” one.
IvanPH
Maybe michael mellor is trying to say that he/she will never have any ovaries so he/she can’t produce eggs.
barkomatic
She’s beautiful. I’ve often wondered what happens to the partner when someone transitions. Presumably, they started dating that person because initially they were one gender, but then what happens when that partner changes gender? There are those who say love goes beyond gender–but in practice they are wrong. If gender didn’t matter there would be no gay or straight people.
allegiance2none
I don’t home much feathers you shove up your ass, it won’t make you a chicken.
Meb
Good for her. She is a beautiful woman.
Anyway, the trans people do not need to come out of a closet. It is a obvious thing. But it is great that she speaks about it and she shows her feelings clearly.
jmmartin
She is very lovely, a treat for the eyes. It would be a better world if she were in Congress so it would be one less Boehner, Cruz, or O’Comical to watch making pronouncements about how ridiculous they are.
litper
filthy transganda
buffnightwing
How is that a model? Trans people say they just want to be accepted, but then they go on TV and model and stuff. What is the need for attention?
Most trans people look very obvious and I treat them like everyone else when I am out shopping and such. But if you are gonna be an entertainer or model, you better be good at being those and not just a new flashy thing.
man5996853
@buffnightwing: You must have the IQ of a baboon. And I mean no disrespect to baboons.
wroady
Who cares I just want to see her naked!