Andreja Pejić
Andreja Pejić is a model who used to self-identify as neither male nor female but came out as a woman in July 2014, with the intention to model only women's fashion.[1] She has stated that she prefers feminine pronouns[2] and that she identifies with the term transgender as an umbrella term.[3].
Career
Pejić gained major worldwide exposure in 2011, when she appeared in runway shows for several major designers. Most noteable was her appearance during Paris Spring 2011 Fashion Week as the Gaultier bride, walking for Jean-Paul Gaultier[4]. She also walked for Gaultier's women's line in 2012's Fall Fashion week, and is reported to be the face of an upcoming Gaultier men's fragrance campaign[5].
Media Coverage
Pejić blew up in the news in spring 2011 when Barnes & Noble censored a magazine cover where Pejić appeared topless, displaying it in the same manner as topless female covers, due to the gender ambiguity of her appearance [6]. At the end of 2011, Pejić was again in the spotlight for modeling a push-up bra for Dutch company Hema[7].
Pejić has typically responded to intrusive questions about her gender, body, identity, and sexuality with sarcasm. When asked whether she would consider sex reassignment surgery, she replied, "Yes, if I was offered a Victoria's Secret contract. You'd have to, wouldn't you. I can't imagine doing it any other way. But, at this point I'm comfortable with who I am now"[8]. Pejić's gender is typically sensationalized by journalists using these flip comments to make shocking headlines. The previous quotation was used by the Huffington Post, for example, in the headline "Andrej Pejic: I'd Consider A Sex Change for A Victoria's Secret Contract". Several publications have used "Dude Looks Like A Lady" as a headline for a story on Pejić, or as the backing music in a report on the model, misrepresenting her stated experience as male crossdressing. See e.g., Kirsten Flemming, "Dude Looks Like A Lady," New York Post, 15 February 2011 [1]; Giulia Blasi, "Dude Looks Like A Lady," Vogue Italia, 11 January 2011 [2].
When Pejić does speak seriously about her gender, she has tended to defy others' attempts to label her. In response to a question about how she self-defines, Pejić said "Define, refine, constrict, package, and sell... No thank you. I would like to live in a world where your gender, nationality, sexual orientation, and, above all, financial status didn't affect the opportunities you are given in life, the way you're treated by others, and your overall freedom. In a world like that, I wouldn't be given such a complex definition"[9]. When pressed in an interview to reveal whether she saw a girl or boy in the mirror growing up, Pejić replied simply, "I saw a child"[3].
External links
References
- ↑ "Model Andreja Pejic comes out publicly as a transgender woman, shares her experience with media and Facebook fans", glaad.com, July 2014
- ↑ "ANDREJ PEJIC" in La Monda, 2013-11-05
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Genderless: World's Most Popular Male Model Walks Runways in Heels, Dresses", Sept 2011, abc
- ↑ "The Prettiest Boy in the World", nymag.com, Fall 2011
- ↑ "MODEL ANDREJ PEJIK PLAYS BOTH SIDES AT PARIS FASHION WEEK", HollywoodReporter.com
- ↑ "Andrej Pejic: The Model Barnes & Noble Didn't Want You to See", May 2011, thedailybeast.com
- ↑ "Andrej Pejic Models Push-Up Bras For Hema ", Huffington Post, Dec 2011
- ↑ "Andrej Pejic: I'd Consider A Sex Change For A Victoria's Secret Contract", Huffington Post, March 2011
- ↑ "Catching Up With Andrej Pejic", Out.com, Nov 2011
