Model Disqualified from Miss Universe for Being Trans Gets Elle Spread

Jenna Talackova, the model who was abruptly disqualified from Miss Universe Canada when it came to light that she’d been born male, continues to win at things that are far more important than a pageant conglomerate run by a sleazy gremlin (Donald Trump, preeminent Gremlin of Sleaze). Since then, she’s enjoyed a long string of achievements that includes getting the Miss Universe Organization to change its trans-phobic rules. Her latest victory? An absolutely stunning spread in the January issue of Elle Canada.

Seriously, how good does she look in that Louis Vuitton dress? Here’s a glimpse of what the spread’s first page looks like in print:

“I believe I am a woman who went through transgender procedures. As soon as I started taking hormones, I felt more and more complete. How everything worked out is amazing,” Talackova told Elle. When asked what advice she’d give to anyone struggling with their own gender identity, she responded, “You know, you need to be real with yourself, and you need to realize that it’s not a mistake. You have an amazing life to live — live it the way you want to.”

In other exciting news, Talackova is also in the process of filming a reality show titled Brave New Girls, which will follow her as she pursues her dreams of becoming an actress and model (so far, so good on the latter career front). The show will air on E! Canada starting January 19, which is great — TV needs more multifaceted trans* representation, period. I don’t care if it’s in the form of a critically-acclaimed primetime drama or as a reality program that runs on the beautiful trash-heap that is E! — it’s great, and it’s definitely progress, that a show that centers completely around a transgender woman is airing.