Trans History-Roberta Close

Contrary to this article implying that trans models like Lea T, Felipa Torres and Carol Marra are some 21st century twist to the Brazilian modeling scene, that isn't the case.  There was a trans woman strutting the catwalks in Brazil and elsewhere in the world back in the 80's.

This latest group of twentysomething Brazilian models need to bow down and recognize their trans sister who paved the way for them to be able to strut those catwalks in Rio, New York, Milan and Paris.

The pioneering transwoman in question is Roberta Gambine Moreira, who was born on this date in 1964 in Rio de Janiero.  

Known professionally as Roberta Close, she started surreptitiously taking hormones in her teens and began her modeling and film career at age 17.

The 5'10 1/2" beauty won the Miss Gay Brazil pageant at age 20, appeared in a popular Brazilian soap opera and print ads. 

She was the first trans woman to appear on the cover of Brazilian Playboy (while preoperative), and hosted a late night talk show in her homeland.  Even though she was comfortable with her pre-op status during that time period, she eventually had SRS in Britain in 1989, appeared in a post-operative photo spread in the  Brazilian mens magazine Sexy and was voted the 'Most Beautiful Woman In Brazil'.

In 1993 she married her Swiss manager, Roland Granacher, in Europe since in Roman Catholic Brazil she wasn't able to do so.



She also fought a lengthy legal battle in the Brazilian court system to challenge the laws that refused to recognize her femininity in her documentation.  She lost an initial round in 1997 and another in 2003, but eventually won her case to have her birth documentation changed.

On March 4, 2005, Roberta Close acquired legal status as a female in Brazil after Judge Leise Rodrigues de Lima Espiritu Santo of the 9th Family Court of Rio de Janeiro legally recognized her as a woman.

Roberta Close is the reason that the current crop of Brazilian trans models have their opportunities to make it in the fashion world today, and hope these 21st century ladies appreciate the barriers Roberta broke down for them.


   

Rio Fashion Week 2011 Documentary

Interesting documentary that focused on Rio's 2011 edition of International Fashion Week.   It's one of the few that has no problem using trans models, and that tradition goes back to Roberta Close in the 1980's  

This one mentioned trans model Carol Marra, who parlayed this Fashion Week 2011 appearance into a Brazilian TV reporting job..

 

Andrej Pejic Does Bra Ad

There have long been rumors circulating that some of those tall, skinny flat-chested glamazons strutting the catwalks during Fashion Week were actually very feminine looking boys with the ability due to an androgynous face, physique, mannerisms and training (or who were on hormones and in the early stages of transition) to pull off a convincing feminine illusion.

Meet 20 year old Bosnian born Australian resident Andrej Pejic, a breakout supermodel who is taking the fashion world by storm with an uber androgynous look .

Pejic can and does do two for one roles in a fashion show by effortlessly showing off a designer's mens and womens clothing lines and gets paid well for doing so.

Especially as some fashion critics contend, Pejic's figure is the ideal for fashion designers. 5'11", no bust and no waist.  

Pejic has become a favorite model for designers Jean-Paul Gaultier and Marc Jacobs among others and was ranked at number 98 in FHM's list of the world's sexiest women for 2011.  A transphobic comment accompanying Pejic's photo with the ranking caused it to be pulled from the online site.  



Pejic even showed up in a fashion shoot with the other modeling it girl for 2011, Brazilian transwoman Lea T.

As to which side of the gender binary Pejic is on: 

"I know people want me to sort of defend myself, to sit here and be like, ‘I’m a boy, but I wear makeup sometimes.’ But, you know, to me, it doesn’t really matter. I don’t really have that sort of strong gender identity—I identify as what I am. The fact that people are using it for creative or marketing purposes, it’s just kind of like having a skill and using it to earn money.”

There was an interesting print ad last month from the Dutch department store Hema which recently featured Pejic wearing its 'Mega-Push-Up Bra' that guarantees it will increase your bust two cup sizes..    


Once the Hema ad hit Dutch newspapers with photos of the cleavage-free Pejic showing some semblance of breast tissue, it sent sales of this bra skyrocketing and caused a media sensation in the Netherlands 

So it will be interesting to see in 2012 how Andrej Pejic tops this and what other interesting developments happen in Pejic's life gender wise..

The Great Pantyhose Debate Reignited

Bad news for all you peeps that absolutely hate pantyhose (or tights to the rest of the world) for any reason.

Thanks to the recent royal visit of Prince William and Kate to Canada and the United States, French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and various young celebrity women such as Beyonce, Rihanna, Jessica Alba, and Hayden Panettiere the generational debate on whether to wear or not to wear pantyhose has been cranked up again and is blowing up across the Net..

In the rest of the world wearing hosiery never went out of style as the generational battle was raging here in the States and getting more heated starting in the late 80's
 

In terms of the Duchess of Cambridge, royal protocol may be a factor.   Other ladies of the British royal family such as Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and her sister Pippa Middleton are regularly photographed across The Pond wearing sheer hosiery at all formal occasions, probably following Queen Elizabeth II's lead.

The knowledge that the Duchess of Cambridge is also married to the son of the late Princess Diana and her being aware she will be photographed and every millimeter of her look scrutinized probably plays a part in her all hose all the time philosophy as well.     



But to be fair in this post, I will point out that First Lady Michelle Obama is part of the group of women that line up on the side of women who don't like wearing them.  While she'll do so on formal occasions, most of the time she's going barelegged when she can get away with it.      

I'm on the pro-pantyhose side . I believe that hose adds a polished touch to your look with skirts and dresses but at the same time realize there are moments here during a Texas summer in which that is impractical.  

But not everyone has the legs that can successfully and stylishly pull off the hoseless look either, nor should they attempt it.   Hose simply make your legs look better and cover up the imperfections.

The debate continues.

Introducing Trans Model Valentijn de Hingh

Lea T. may be getting all the hype for being a trans model, but there may be another one on the horizon in the person of Valentijn de Hingh. 

If you don't know who she is, here's a link to the video Vogue magazine shot about her to get you started.  

There's also another interesting part about her story besides the trans angle.  From age 8 to age 17 she was featured in a Dutch documentary about her life that was broadcast in 2007.

Not long after that the 1.80 meter tall teen (5' 9") was signed to a contract with an Amsterdam based agency and walked the runways in Paris.   But when she kept growing to 1.86 (6 feet) meters, she was deemed too tall for a modeling career.

With the fashion world buzzing over Lea T and androgynous model Andrej Pejic, the time seemed right for the University of Amsterdam student to consider a relaunch of her own career after working at an Amsterdam agency as an assistant booker.

After flying to New York and doing two well received photo shoots, interest in her has picked up again and she is getting a lot of magazine work.

May want to keep an eye on her and see if Valentijn de Hingh takes it to the next level.

Lea T. Returns Home

Trans model Lea T is heading back to her native Brazil.for the Winter 2011 Fashion Week.


The Givenchy model will strut the catwalks in Sao Paulo for this 30th annual event for the first time as a leading catwalk figure and to building fashion world buzz.

Also coming home is the highest paid model on the planet and fellow Brazilian Gisele Bundchen 

The twice annual Sao Paulo Fashion Week is Latin America's top fashion event, will feature 31 local clothing brands in addition to various international labels and underscores the growing importance and financial clout of South America's largest nation.

But it'll be nice to see Lea T strut her stuff down the runway for the home folks as well.