Celebrity Info
She’s a prominent transgender model and advocate, widely recognized for her powerful 2014 TED talk where she courageously shared, for the first time publicly, that she was assigned male at birth. Her name has become synonymous with visibility and empowerment in the LGBTQ+ community. She is the founder of Gender Proud, an organization dedicated to raising awareness and advocating for transgender rights. Before fame brought her into the global spotlight, she grew up in Manila, Philippines, where she began identifying as a girl from a very young age. During those early years, she participated in transgender beauty pageants back home, embracing her identity with confidence and grace. At 19, she underwent her transition, a pivotal moment in her journey. After living in San Francisco, California, she eventually made her way to New York City, where she continued building her career and expanding her advocacy work. Her story continues to inspire many, and her name remains a beacon of resilience and authenticity.
She was actually working at a Macy’s in New York when things really began to shift for her. That’s around the time she started pursuing modeling more seriously. It wasn’t long before she caught the attention of industry scouts and ended up signing with NEXT Model Management. From there, she began building her name, quickly landing gigs as a swimsuit model. Her big break came when she started gaining recognition, and people began noticing her presence on major platforms. She definitely made a name for herself through hard work and dedication. Over time, she continued to grow her brand, proving that starting from a regular job at a department store didn’t stop her from reaching her dreams. She showed that with persistence, anything is possible—and she did it all while making a name in the competitive world of fashion.
United States
