“I always dreamt of being a girl. … I was proud of my gender nonconforming career. But my biggest dream was to be comfortable in my own body. I have to be true to myself and the career is just going to have to fit around that. … Every day is like a new revelation. I’m more comfortable than ever. I feel at a 100 percent.”
In an interview with People, model Andreja Pejic, 26, whose androgynous look made waves in the fashion industry, officially announced that she — formerly known as Andrej — underwent sex reassignment surgery earlier this year and identifies as a trans woman. In 2011, Pejic became a breakout star of the fashion world, walking both the menswear and womenswear runways, including donning a wedding dress for legendary designer Jean Paul Gautier. Pejic had known since she was very young that she “always wanted to be a girl,” dressing up in skirts and playing with dolls. Social pressure forced her to conform to traditional male gender roles, but when she was 13, a Google search opened up a whole new world of understanding. “I went into the library and typed ‘sex change’ into Google and my life changed,” she told People. “The Internet gave me the sense that there were words to describe my feelings and medical terms.”
Pejic’s androgynous look quickly caught the attention of the modeling industry, putting her plans on hold so she could attain financial independence and travel the world. Now, finally comfortable in her own body, Pejic joins fellow trans activists like Laverne Cox and Janet Mock in being open about her experience. “I want to share my story with the world because I think I have a social responsibility. I hope that by being open about this, it becomes less of an issue.” Congrats to Andreja on her fantastic news! Check out the full interview at the link.
[People]Original by Amelia McDonell-Parry @xoamelia
