Lea T., Transsexual Model, Talks About Her Love Life

Transsexual model Lea T. recently spoke with "Veja" magazine about her personal life, Brazilian site Quem reports (and we translate):

"I've never had a girlfriend or a boyfriend....Sex for me was zero," she explained, saying that she only became sexually active after 20 years old and claims to have not liked it.

"It was quick, uncomfortable. I was and am still very ashamed of my body," she said.

Lea also addressed rumors that her father, former soccer star Toninho Cerezo had disowned her, saying he told her he'd love her if she were a "man, woman or dog." Lea noted, "My mother is very religious...but says she will not leave me."

She said she plans to walk for Alexandre Herchcovitch at Sao Paulo Fashion Week at the end of the month.

(Via Racked)

Comments

[Shawna Spaulding]

09:12 PM on 01/08/2011

ALL I CAN SAY IS BEAUTIFUL...

[Slade the Slide]

07:47 AM on 01/08/2011

Doesn't this make her "asexual"?

[Nelle]

09:37 PM on 01/07/2011

I may be idealistic, but I believe that one day in America we will be able to accept individuals like Lea T. for who they are and not try to force them into our outdated gender roles.

[catgirllaura]

11:21 AM on 01/07/2011

I can relate to what Lea is dealing with, I too am like Lea and experience the same issues with not liking my body, but the best way to deal with it is just try not to think about it. Thinking about it only depresses you and in today's world with all the stress life brings we cant make the negative aspects of or lives drag us down. As for sex well there are other ways to get sexual fulfillment its just a matter of exploring and knowing your self to find them.

[sabrinaqedesha]

07:08 PM on 01/06/2011

This is kind of heartbreaking; everyone deserves of love and affection, and I hope Lea finds enough peace with her body to be open to receiving it.

I'm glad to read, though, that her family are supportive. Unconditional love can be so powerful.

[Jamie Dufour]

03:55 AM on 01/06/2011

Lea is a gorgeous human being and an asset to perseverance....

Being "transgendered" is not a choice, and for many it can be a challenge to "being" who you are.

Many of us walk amongst you, contribute in so many ways and are equally misunderstood just like anyone else that is unique or individual....feeling ashamed of our bodies is just a small part of the reason so many of us struggle with who we are....it is societies norms and conditions that alienates and pains us the most.....

Please learn to use the correct terms and understand what they are and how to use them....many of us chose to use the term "transgendered" because gender is fluid, just like sexual orientation is...using the term transexual is a correct term but seemingly creates an association with the "act of" and has nothing to do with "SEX" as an act....

I often have people insinuate how difficult it must be to be transgendered....my reply is always the same,,,, "actually it is not, it is pretty easy to be who you are, its actually difficult pretending to be who you are not !!!"

[texlib2112]

08:31 PM on 01/05/2011

I have an employee who works for me who is transsexual who is a vital part to my business and yet many people could not tell that she is transgendered. She has worked for me for the past 5 years right after she graduated from University, and by talking to her and her close relationship with my spouse that I am so happy she has found peace in her life.

[MichaelMcKLA]

08:09 PM on 01/05/2011

I had a transsexual girlfriend for seven years (she was "post-op.") Our love life, so to speak, was excellent. She even ended up on a Court-TV game show (Fake Out), wherein the panelists were challenged to determine whether she was really a TS, or a genetic female pretending to be TS.

I hope Lea T.'s love life improves.

[IamYourDrillThrall]

05:48 PM on 01/05/2011

How incredibly sad.

[fireincarmation]

05:29 PM on 01/05/2011

It must be hard to give in to loving your body when you feel trapped in a body that is the wrong gender. How would you make love when the very organs to do so do not represent who you are?

[CHMB]

04:59 PM on 01/05/2011

Society as a whole is sill obsessed with the idea that you can only be a man or a woman. It's too bad she feels such body shame, it's too bad so many people are ashamed of their body's.

[sammer1]

02:33 AM on 01/06/2011

our chromosomes are also obsessed with the idea. so closed minded.

[CHMB]

06:50 AM on 01/06/2011

So true. The west is also obsessed with the idea that sex and gender are identical.

[Florida1966]

08:54 AM on 01/06/2011

@sammer1 F and F for common sense thinking.

[Diana 111]

11:34 PM on 01/06/2011

Transsexualism is not body shame, though it's understandable that someone might confuse the two conditions.

There is a fairly extensive body of work investigating transsexualism. The "they just feel shame about their bodies" hypothesis doesn't fit the evidence very well.

[CHMB]

10:07 AM on 01/07/2011

I think that body shame does fit into things. I have experience working with transexuals, and they do feel shame about their bodies, it's not solely because they are transexuals, nor did I ever said they "just feel shame about their bodies".

The fact that some people think so poorly of transsexuals is indicative of a huge societal problem, and again reiterates my point that people are too obsessed with the idea that there are only two sexes and two genders. Sex and gender are not the same thing, and often people equate penis = man, vagina = woman.

There are some cultures which recognize three genders, and traditional First Nations culture recognized that transsexuals are not to be shamed, and were embraced as two spirited.

[ghee99]

04:54 PM on 01/05/2011

transexualSex life details ?

definitely TMI

[Florida1966]

08:55 AM on 01/06/2011

OMG ....really? the PC police are here....wow

[Grokenspiel]

01:28 PM on 01/06/2011

Um... not necessarily true, NightAdder, FYI. "Transgender" is an umbrella term that covers the entire spectrum of gender nonconformity -- transsexual men and women, crossdressers, intersexed, androgynes, etc. Because many transsexual individuals are uncomfortable being lumped in with crossdressers, they don't much care for the term. Furthermore, many also prefer that "transsexual" be used only as an adjective, not a dehumanizing noun. My authority is a transsexual family member.