It’s an interesting time to be transgender in America. Though trans people have gained more visibility in popular culture, the community still faces discrimination under the law. The city of Houston just repealed the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), which banned discrimination against the LGBTQ community in the workplace, housing and public accommodations. Since coming out as transgender onstage at a Ted talk in March 2014, Rocero has used her platform to affect lasting change. She founded advocacy group and production company Genderproud and shared the cover of Candy Magazine with Laverne Cox, Janet Mock and Carmen Carrera. These days, the stunning supermodel is setting her sights on the cover of Sports Illustrated and hopes to one day model for Victoria’s Secret. She spoke with ELLE about diversity in the fashion industry and the change she wants to see in public policy. Check out a few excerpts from her interview below:
On how the fashion industry can improve:
“I think there are fashion allies, from Hood By Air to Givenchy, which has been a big advocate with Lea T. I wish the industry could really highlight more genderqueer identities in fashion. I think if we actually challenge that head-on, if I see Conchita Wurst or other genderqueer models getting hired in a beauty campaign, that would be groundbreaking and I would love to see that.”
On gaining better representation in fashion magazines:
“I want to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated! Or Victoria’s Secret. Or Carmen Carrera, because it’s her dream, too. Hire us! Hire us more, give us more of a platform. We have been talking about, am I a ‘trans model’ or am I simply a ‘model?’ In my personal opinion, I’m a trans model. I want representation around that, because political representation around that is important. I’m passionate about that. Hopefully, casting directors and people could see just beyond that and hire us for who we are. Hire trans people as casting directors, as editors of magazines, or give us opportunities to curate the editorial coverage. We could actually show those nuances in those stories that need to be told.”
On the issue she’d want the next President to address:
“I want a gender recognition law, and that policy being in place for trans people specifically, where we could self-identify our name and gender marker without having to go through barriers. Right now it depends on your state, and that’s problematic. It cost me around $700 to change my name and gender marker. And I had to put it in a newspaper, outing myself again. I dream of that changing.”
Read Rocero’s full interview here.
[via ELLE]
