Filipino-American model Geena Rocero will make history as the first Asian Pacific Islander to pose for a Playboy centerfold. She also happens to be transgender.
The 35-year-old model took to Instagram last week to announce the news to her followers.
“I’m Beyond PROUD to share the news and be the First Trans Asian Pacific Islander @Playboy Playmate!” she wrote.
Rocero, who will appear in Playboy’s August issue, said she hopes her success will inspire others.
“I feel that I’m making it possible for someone to reach for their biggest dreams just like the people who came before me,” she told Out.com.
“I also hope that for anyone who’s been deemed ‘other’ to know what makes you different is your power, especially the unapologetic expression of your sexuality, gender, and the value of your unique perspective,” the model added.
In an interview for Playboy’s June edition, devoted to subjects related to gender and sexuality, Rocero discussed how her viral 2014 TED Talk launched her career as a trans advocate, and eventually led to starting her own production company.
“I became ... a transgender Tyra Banks, because I believe telling stories through the lens of the transgender experience speaks louder than statistics,” she said.
Rocero is the second openly transgender model to appear in the magazine, the first being French model Ines Rau.
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