French Vogue runs nude of transsexual model

[kpete]

Tuesday, Jul 20, 2010 19:01 ET
Broadsheet
French Vogue's delightfully subversive nude
Lea T., a transsexual model, bares it all in the magazine's upcoming issue
By Alex Jung

When Givenchy's head designer cast his personal assistant, Lea T., in a print ad for the brand, it sparked a frenzy of interest. Calls for interviews and modeling gigs began pouring in. Now, French Vogue, the hipper sister of American Vogue, is running a profile of the Brazilian model alongside a nude portrait in its upcoming issue. But this isn't your typical tale about the feverish discovery of a new face in high-fashion -- because Lea just happens to be a transsexual.

Of course, that makes the nude all the more provocative. Her gaze is calm and direct, and the casual placement of her hand clearly reveals that she hasn't had gender reassignment surgery. Unlike in the buzzed-about Givenchy ad, she doesn't wear ostentatious makeup or strike any of the dramatic poses that usually mark high fashion editorials. She is simply, arrestingly bare. With her long hair draped over her shoulders, Lea looks straight out of the Garden of Eden -- and that is perhaps what's most subversive about the photo: its ability to make us re-conceive of what we think of as "natural."

http://www.salon.com/life/gender/index.html?story=/mwt/broadsheet/2010/07/20/trans_model

[loudsue]

1. Stunning.

Stun gun stunning.

[here_is_to_hope]

2. Its a trap!

:evilgrin:

[badgerpup]

3. Whyizzit....

...some of the most beautiful 'women' I've seen have been men?
Either female impersonators or transgender...

You realize, of course, that I'm speaking out of 100% simon-pure ENVY...

[qb]

4. K&R I hope this will help combat the prejudice against people who don't fit into "traditional"

gender roles.

[Evasporque]

5. awesome..."beauty" does not know....or care...

what is between your legs. She is beautiful.

[Nothing Without Hope]

6. When I followed the links to see the original photo, I was

struck by the sense that the model is comfortable in her body. Thus, I was somewhat puzzled by many comments (not at DU) that showed anxiety about the fact that the model had not had gender surgery. I don't see why there should be pressure one way or the other. The real question is what the person wants for herself and her comfort in her body. In addition to the beauty and grace, that ease in her skin is what is striking about the image.

[dropkickpa]

7. She is absolutely gorgeous!

And super Kudos go to French Vogue for this. I can't even imagine American Vogue having the guts to do this.

[Meldread]

8. Reminds me of a song...

This reminds me of a song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYSSOrG9SLg&feature=avmsc2">Garbage - Cherry Lips.

Go baby, Go baby! We're right behind you! :woohoo: