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These Photos Of Playboy’s First Transgender Playmate Are Stunning

“When I was doing this shoot, I was thinking of all those hard days in my childhood,” she told Playboy. “And now everything happening gives me so much joy and happiness. I thought, ‘Am I really going to be a Playmate—me?’ It’s the most beautiful compliment I’ve ever received. It’s like getting a giant bouquet of roses.”

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This isn’t Ines’ first modeling gig: She’s appeared in Vogue Italia and fronted a campaign for Balmain. She also posed nude for Playboy’s May 2014 “A-Z” issue in a spread called “Evolution” that looked at shifting attitudes on gender identity. Ines says that story changed her life. “It’s how I celebrated my coming out, actually,” she said. “I took that chance, and then I signed with an agency.”

playboy transgender playmate ines rau photographs

ines rau transgender playmate playboy photoshoot

Meet your November 2017 Playmate, @supa_ines. “Nudity shouldn’t be taboo. Nudity means a lot to me, since I went through a transition to get where I want to be. Nudity is a celebration of the human being without all the excess. It’s not about sexuality but the beauty of the human body, whether male or female.” by @derekkettela

A post shared by Playboy (@playboy) on Oct 18, 2017 at 2:38pm PDT

But, despite her success, Ines says it took time for her to accept herself. “I lived a long time without saying I was transgender,” she said. “I dated a lot and almost forgot. I was scared of never finding a boyfriend and being seen as weird.”

Then she decided, she should just be herself. “It’s a salvation to speak the truth about yourself, whether it’s your gender, sexuality, whatever,” she said. “The people who reject you aren’t worth it. It’s not about being loved by others; it’s about loving yourself.”

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Ines also has a message for her haters: Her gender is no one’s business but her own.“People have said that being transgender goes against the laws of nature, but they’re the same people who aren’t doing anything to help nature,” she said. “If I want to get a sex change, it’s between myself and my body. I could hide it, but I don’t, because I respect people.”

Ines isn’t the only transgender model getting attention lately: French Vogue featured transgender model Valentina Sampaio on its cover in March and model and actress Hari Nef appeared on the cover of Elle UK last year.

As for Ines, she makes it clear that it’s okay for transgender men and women to be sensual. “I love to be sexy, but sexy is an attitude,” she said. “I don’t know if I’m allowed to say it, but I really feel sexy all the time.” 

Read the full profile over at Playboy