With the recent passing of Hugh Hefner in September, Playboy has been receiving more publicity than ever with many people honoring his death. While the magazine may have had a questionable past, we're very excited by the recent announcement that Ines Rau will be gracing the November issue AND will be Playboy's first transgender Playmate.
As expected, there were mixed reactions after this news took to Twitter, inciting arguments in threads. Despite many men whining that their hegemonic masculinity feels threatened, most support Playboy’s news. After all, transgender women have actually graced the pages of Playboy since 1991, and Ines is just the first transgender model to have the title of~Playmate~.
The first transgender woman to pose for Playboy was Tula in September 1991. pic.twitter.com/Xpl65HZaEU
Ines has proven to be an extremely successful. From runways to covers, she has practically done it all. Facing every societal barrier with elegance, she proudly embraces her identity. In her interview with Playboy, she encourages people to “be who [they] are. It’s a salvation to speak the truth about yourself, whether it’s your gender, sexuality, whatever.”
"Being a woman is just being a woman." Meet November 2017 Playmate Ines Rau, the first transgender Playmate. https://t.co/w28vfilSP9pic.twitter.com/iVAqOgB0TK
The 26-year-old model has no plans of slowing down, either. In the interview she explains, "I will always fight for LGBTQ rights and women’s rights, but above everything else, my cause is the environment...If I get famous, that’s my first battle.”
If Ines Rau has a flaw, we certainly can’t see it. She is the embodiment of strength, beauty and confidence. She is an inspiration for everyone to be unapologetically themselves, and we hope her status as a Playmate will inspire more brands to include transgender people in their narrative.