Rising model Teddy Quinlivan announces she is transgender

By

Emily Jensen

Published
Sep 18, 2017

The up-and-coming model revealed that she transitioned at the age of 16. Now 23, she has appeared in Vogue and walked for the likes of Marc Jacobs and Carolina Herrera.

 
In an interview with CNN, Teddy Quinvilan said she decided to come out as trans in light of the recent backlash against LGBTQ people from the Trump administration. The model said she felt compelled to act as a positive role model and speak out against the violence and discrimination many trans people face.
 
Quinvilan says growing up she saw very few representations of trans people in the media, and commends activists such as Laverne Cox and Janet Mock for being visible faces of the community.

Although more trans models have gained visibility in recent years, the fashion industry still has a long ways to go towards inclusivity. British trans model Munroe Bergdorf lost her L'Oréal contract after speaking out against white supremacy. She was subsequently signed as the face of British makeup brand Illamasqua. Fellow trans model Andreja Pejic has also spoken about the difficulties trans models face in fashion, and praised designer Prabal Gurung for casting her in the label’s Spring 2018 show.
 
Teddy Quinlivan is represented by Women Management NYC and walked for the likes of Derek Lam, Coach and Diane von Furstenberg in the recently concluded New York Fashion Week.