In retrospect the amazing thing is that they didn’t do this sooner, but the next “cycle” of America’s Next Top Model will include Isis, a 22-year-old transgender model who describes herself to Us Weekly as “a woman born physically male.”
Good for them, I guess, and maybe this will entice me to check out what used to be one of my favorite reality shows for the first time in a few seasons. But really: has there ever been anything about ANTM that isn’t transgender, in the broad sense of the term? The most distinctive thing about the show—well, except for the Tyra! Tyra! Tyra! self-promotion—has always been how it shows the fluidity of gender roles in modeling. Each season features gamine women being coached by (among others) gay men to emulate drag queens, which is basically the highest compliment afforded on the show. The ideal ANTM contestant, really, is a drag queen born physically female. The show is a veritable Pee-Wee’s Playhouse of gender-bending (“Mister Jay” and “Miss Jay” even sound like Pee-Wee characters). So while the transgender casting may get ANTM some needed fresh attention, the question will be whether anyone will notice.