Two transgender models, Jari Jones (29) and Munroe Bergdorf (32), both featured on their own cover of the September issue of Teen Vogue, with the headline ‘what is fashion now?’. Teen Vogue tweeted it wanted to centre women ‘at the heart of fashion’ who were often ‘left out of the conversation’. It continued Jones and Bergdorf are ‘trailblazers’.
Bergdorf, who is also a writer and broadcaster, told Teen Vogue she had embraced the label ‘activist’. On her official website she states: “I believe passionately in inclusivity for all, no matter your race, ability, religious beliefs, sexuality or gender identity. I believe we should always stand up for what we believe in and call out acts of injustice when we encounter them.” Teen Vogue referred to her as a ‘powerful, unstoppable force’. Munroe Bergdorf’s debut book Transitional is out in 2021.
Jones, who was the face of Calvin Klein’s 2020 Pride Campaign, told Teen Vogue she hoped she could inspire young queer people. On her Instagram, she wrote it was a dream come true to have a Teen Vogue cover in her ‘authentic skin’. Both Jones and Bergdorf are advocates for the Black Lives Matter movement.
Both women have been congratulated for their ‘powerful covers’, and Teen Vogue have been praised for bringing trans narratives into the spotlight.
