I’m very disappointed in Tomboy x. I just recently worked with them again, and within a minute of me arriving they informed me that they cast me to model their WOMEN’S CELEBRATION print and reactively I said “No I’m not, I’m a trans man, legally male, and a year on testosterone.”

I arrived (completely unprompted on the print) and was immediately put into an unsafe environment, being reduced down to my genitals, and continued to get misgendered throughout the entirety of the day on set even after being corrected. The transphobia did not end there.

They had a sign that read “We the *insert cat photo*”. I asked them about it to which they responded “We the Pussy”. I explained how that excludes trans women from the celebration, and to try and include me, a trans man instead, purely because of what genitals I have was wrong.

This severely impacts their authenticity as an LGBT company. They thanked me for educating them, to which I replied “It was not my job to educate you. I am a model. There were so many oversights regarding this casting and it was unfortunately at the expense of my safety.”

I scheduled a meeting with the owners of Tomboy x to sit down with them face to face, have them listen to my experience, and together make positive changes that will ensure the safety, visibility, and inclusivity for EVERYONE in the LGBT community. Our voices will not go unheard.