Tyra Banks casts pre-op transgender model for ANTM 11

[Philly Phanboy]

Wow.

The thread title says it all. Just when you thought ANTM couldn't get any more desperate for attention Tyra goes out and does this.

I honestly feel sorry for "Isis". Shame on you Tyra...again you sink to a new low.

'Top Model's eleventh-season cast includes transgender contestant

By Christopher Rocchio, 08/13/2008

America's Next Top Model is trying to break the norm with one of its eleventh-season cast members.

"Some people might say I'm transgender, some people might say transsexual. Personally, I prefer 'born in the wrong body,'" eleventh-season Top Model finalist Isis explained in a The CW-released video obtained by Entertainment Tonight.

Viewers will be introduced to the pre-op 22-year-old non-profit organization program assistant from Prince George's County, MD during Top Model's eleventh-season premiere when creator and lead judge Tyra Banks is narrowing down the cycle's semifinalists.

"I tell my staff, 'This girl is absolutely amazing. She has to come back for America's Next Top Model,'" Banks tells Isis during the semifinals process. "I said, 'this girl,' and my staff said, 'Tyra, there's something a little different about that girl.' So what's different about that girl?"

"I was born physically male," replies Isis. "But mentally, everything else, I was going female."

"Tell me about when you knew you were a girl," asks Banks.

"As long as I can remember," answers Isis. "It's not something I chose. This is who was always there."

Although Top Model's eleventh season will be the first time Isis has competed on the show, she has previously participated in one of its photo shoots.

During the tenth season's first photo shoot, the finalists each posed with a "homeless partner" -- one of which was Isis, who at the time was not presented as being transgendered.

Top Model's cast has consisted of only non-transgender women since the show premiered on the now defunct UPN in May 2003, and Banks' decision to include Isis in the upcoming season hasn't gone unnoticed.

"[It's] an unprecedented opportunity for a community that is underrepresented on television," GLAAD president Neil Giuliano told Us Weekly in a Wednesday report. "We applaud Tyra Banks and The CW for making this historic visibility of transgender people possible."

Top Model's eleventh season will premiere Wednesday, Septmeber 3 at 8PM ET/PT.

"My cards were dealt differently," Isis told Us. "I like to help people, but I'm here to follow my dreams."

Source

 

[JP]

How dare Tyra embrace the transgendered community! Shame on you Tyra! Shame on you!

Anyways, the girl photographs well. I look forward to this season.

 

[Philly Phanboy]

Yeah like she's "embracing the transgendered community".

Does he stand a chance of winning? No

Is he being used as a cheap publicity stunt? Yes

 

[JP]

Why doesn't she stand a chance of winning?

 

[Philly Phanboy]

Guess I'm a glass-is-half-empty kinda guy.

After cycle 9's Saleisha-gate and Whitney being asked to gain weight before the show taping to become their first plus sized model for cycle 10, I doubt this casting was done out of compassion.

 

[SapphirePrima]

Egggh, I've been over this show since MTV runs an marathon 2x a week. :

Much more womanly than the one on "I Want to Work For Diddy", though.

 

[Wolfwood]

I guess she's not bad looking, but even if she were a real woman, that skinny model body would still be a turn off.

 

[kane9321]

she/he...aint bad lookin

 

[Sawyer]

Sounds pretty ballsy (pun intended) of The CW.

 

[GhostPoet]

Sorry...but I'm not calling him a woman just because he wants to play pretend.