The French model Ines Rau is Playboys first transgender playmate, and she takes the centerfold in this month’s November/ December issue.
When interviewed Rau said that she never spoke out about being transgender, not even to her boyfriends as she feared that they might think that she was weird. But after many years the model realized that she wanted to come out about her gender and sexuality to let people see her authentic self. She said she soon realized that the people who rejected her were not worth her time.
Being a Playmate is a compliment said Rau, and she is now confident that she can enjoy the ups and downs of the future and take on the modeling world.
Rau is now 28 and has been modeling since the young age of 18.
Although Playboy has never had a transgender playmate, Hugh Hefner has always helped to raise the visibility of transgender models. Hefner died at the age of 91 but has helped many people to come to terms and accept their sexuality as something to be celebrated and not something to hide.
As more and more celebrities become comfortable and open with their sexuality it has become easier for the public to view celebrities as normal people who often have problems and insecurities. However, the transgender community has many battles ahead as many groups are confused about where transgender people stand within the community.
