Paris Lees’ brilliant post about appearing on Vogue UK reminds us how far trans activism has come
Paris Lees in Vogue
Paris Lees has shared a triumphant post about making history as the first “trans kid from a council estate” to appear on the front cover of Vogue Magazine.
Vogue, which was taken over by Editor Edward Enniful in April of last year, has dedicated its February issue to “The New Suffragetes”, featuring a group of trailblazing women striving towards equality.
Lees is joined by the likes of writer Reni Eddo-Lodge, founder of Gal-Dem Liv Little, and politician Stella Creasy.
Writer, journalist and transgender rights activist Lees took to Twitter to remark that she “is being celebrated as a woman – in Vogue ffs!”.
“Look how far we’ve come. It’s insane that I could be in Vogue. A trans kid from a council estate. People at school told me I’d never be a girl, would never be pretty enough, would never be accepted,” she wrote on the micro-blogging site.
“WELL HERE I AM BEING CELEBRATED AS A WOMAN – IN VOGUE FFS!”.
Look how far we've come. It's insane that I could be in Vogue. A trans kid from a council estate. People at school told me I'd never be a girl, would never be pretty enough, would never be accepted WELL HERE I AM BEING CELEBRATED AS A WOMAN – IN VOGUE FFS!https://t.co/Wsd84E84bI
— Paris Lees (@parislees) January 4, 2018
The group have women have been brought together in the issue to discuss what equality means to them.
In a video promoting the edition, the women were asked about the changes that would improve the lives of women.
“When a baby’s born, we don’t ask whether it’s a boy or girl, we ask whether it’s healthy,” hopes Lees.
“Feminism is about pushing for the rights of women, and that includes all women,” she added.
“I hope we have loosened our focus on getting women into higher positions in society, and instead, really start thinking about the women in the margins,” said Eddo-Lodge.
The February issue of the magazine is out on February 5.
