Transgender Model Andreja Pejic Is Make Up Forever's New Face

The world has watched Andreja Pejic's transformation. She was first cast as a male model, then an androgynous model and now as a woman. It has played out before our eyes. Now, she becomes the face of Make Up Forever making her one of first transgender models to land a major beauty campaign.

 In her interview in the May issue of Vogue, she speaks about gender fluidity and transgender identity in society:

There are just more categories now. It’s good. We’re finally figuring out that gender and sexuality are more complicated. There was definitely a lot of ‘Oh, you’re going to lose what’s special about you [if you transition instead of working as androgynous]. You’re not going to be interesting anymore. There are loads of pretty girls out there.

Gene Kogan, codirector of the men’s division at DNA Model Management, which represented Pejic until recently, told Vogue about the sense of perspective that Pejic has brought to the industry:

She has done what no other model has ever been able to: toe the line between male and female successfully for a long time. Andreja had an extraordinary career as a male model, often modeling female clothes; she pulled it off. It opened a lot of eyes and made people see things from a new perspective. We’re going to see her influence for years to come.

Pejic's experiences in fashion are different that what most trans people face. 90 percent of trans individuals said they have faced discrimination at work while 20 percent report being denied a place to live. The saddest stat of all, 41 percent have attempted suicide. It breaks my heart that we live in a society that does not allow all people the space to be who they are. I hope the appointment of Pejic to this campaign will be away to promote acceptance. A way to start accepting beauty for what it is instead of boxing it up and adding labels. 

h/t: YouBeauty