"America's Next Top Model" Has Transgender Contestant Isis

***SEE ISIS VIDEO***

One of the 14 girls who will compete on the new season of America's Next Top Model - which returns to The CW on September 3 - is transgender.

"My cards were dealt differently," Isis, a 22-year-old former receptionist, tells Us Weekly exclusively in its new issue, on newsstands now.

Hailing from Prince George's County, Maryland, Isis identifies herself as "a woman born physically male."

Will she be a role model?

"I like to help people, but I'm here to follow my dreams," she tells Us.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[cruisepuppy7452a]

How will this be a fair competition, men are naturally built differntly from women, are more muscular, which will show off the clothes better. Why didn't they just get a guy in there for real? Throw a pair on a guy and he is still a guy, so I think this is really an unfair advantage. Tyra, I use to respect you, what have you lowered yourself to? Even drag queens would have been better than this.

[dana1]

I am a transgender and i have been told i should model,i would love to model and i am so happy for Isis. She will make the way for girls like me to have our dreams come true..just log on to my space dana dane from SD Ca, and you'll see what i mean..love you Tyra

[Lee0011]

How would that give her an advantage? It's has been said many times on Top M that being too muscular is a BAD thing. See that? Baaaaaad.

They're not doing weight lifting for crying out loud!

"Throw a pair on a guy"? I guess you're really just saying that all the models just look like boobless chicks then... which, I guess is technically true. Some of them have had bounce, though. Hmm.

[ccmd]

She HAD to be from Md.

[tkondaks]

What did she do with her "boys"?
Snip, snip, cut, cut?
Or does she still have 'em?

[Lee0011]

In the show she still has them. But I think she wants to get the good ol' "snip"and tuck. ;3

[hilaritee]

i shudder to think of the idiotic comments that the other models will make about this contestent...last season's models could barely deal with a contestent who had asperger syndrome! the misinformation and insults will be flying.

[Destin]

I don't mind it, will have to see how Isis does. But I'm pretty open minded, lol, and I have no doubt that if transgender folks like Allanah Starr or Kalena Rios or Vaniity were to compete, they'd win hands down. They are beautiful. I won't post any links, but feel free to google to your hearts content. ;)

[InofTouch]

I find it funny that people laugh and ridicule progress...I wonder what life would have been in the 60's and the internet.

[robotfog]

our computers would be as big as automobiles and probably have internal combustion engines and tubes.

[Warmglobe]

What "progress" is this?

[Lee0011]

How about opening minds to an important issue and proving that someone who's different has just as equal an opportunity as everyone else? Yet at the same time that Isis was chosen because of her previous photo skills and not the fact that she is transgender.

That's your answer right there.

[sixletters]

"OFF TOPIC"

Why can't I post any photo's to my profile?

[ScandalousCandice]

I love it. America's Next Top Tranny. She is hotter than all of the girls competing.

[Lee0011]

Ha ha! So very true! She is hawt!

[RonNYC]

I applaude this. Most Transgender Folks are fabulous looking.
If this interests any of you, you should visit this website

http://www.transgendered.net

[sixletters]

Maybe you should warn people if you're going to post a link with nude photo's. Some of us are at work you know.

[Quaoar]

Ann Coulter certainly isn''t.

[Lee0011]

(Giggle) I have to agree about the nudity part, a little warning may be good in the future. Cool resource, though.

[NYCMami]

The only down-side to this is endless hours of Tyra pontificating on how great she is.

[Aesthete]

I don't really care one way or another since a model is basically a clothes hanger whose purpose is basically to sell clothes.

[lioness39]

Bravo to Top Model for doing this. Change for the better is always welcome. Moving past the prejudices is a good sign.

[JJThinking]

I wouldn't be so quick to pat ANTM on the back. The show has been on for more than 10 seasons, and while it retains its core audience, the producers know they need to do something to keep the idea fresh. This is a gimmick, just like having blind, deaf, or one-legged contestants on Dancing With the Stars is a gimmick. They aren't doing this for the sake of the unlikely participant, or to strike a blow for equal opportunity in TV contests. Its a ratings game.
That being said, I do wonder how having a transgender competitor will sit with the other women. Will they find it uncomfortable or unfair?

[Lee0011]

I kinda see where you guys are coming from about the ratings... But I think that Tyra is a major influence on what happens in the show. And yeah, I think part of her just wanted to push an important issue, and another part saw an awesome potential model.

They did point out the photos that they scouted Isis from and MAN they were awesome!

[miranda190]

yeah, this is just for ratings.
there was a she-man on ANTM who made it to the semi-finals and was disqualified b/c of being a she-man

http://fourfour.typepad.com/fourfour/2008/08/antms-discrimin.html

[Triangle1]

Hopefully this isn't another Tyra publicity stunt for curiosity seekers. http://mespace.wordpress.com

[PatA]

Good for the contest and good for the young woman! Hopefully this might help open people's eyes to being more tolerant and loving to one another.

[miranda190]

young man u mean. even antm thinks so...they previously disqualified a she-male

http://fourfour.typepad.com/fourfour/2008/08/antms-discrimin.html

i guess now they really need ratings