Aydian Dowling en route to be the first trans* cover model of Men’s Health
TRANS* model Aydian Dowling has found himself on top of the leader board to become the next cover model of Men’s Health in the US.
The 27-year-old, from Eugene, Oregon, is leading by a staggering 28,35-plus votes as part of the magazine’s online competition.
“Having a trans* person on the cover would tell people that no matter who you are, you can be the man you want to be,” Dowling said.
“It’s fully possible if you put the time and effort and balance it takes to find the man in you.”
Dowling, who started his transition in October of 2009, became an internet viral sensation after posting a photo of himself recreating an iconic Adam Levine pose.
Dowling is also an activist for trans* mental and physical health.
In his Men’s Health application, he responded to the question “how do you give back to your community” by saying: “Giving back is a large part of my life. I started the first YouTube Collaboration BeefHeads Fitness, a channel geared towards Transgender Individuals looking to get fit and healthy.”
He continued: “Also, I run multiple groups, Instagram accounts, and other social media platforms encouraging mental and physical health reaching over 45K combined.”
To help secure Dowling’s chance to become the first trans* model on the cover of Men’s Health you can vote for him here.
Here’s a video from Dowling’s YouTube channel that documents his transition from female to male:
Alexia Shinas
Melly get back to training …. Look at those abs!!!
What a great story. To see the downcast, pre-T Aydian at the beginning, to the vibrant and happy man only months and years later. And I hope he gets on the cover of Men’s Health to raise awareness of FTM.
Why are people given label??? he’s just a lovely looking young man.
Here he is again, Natasha Kennedy
Making a big deal about someone’s gender and trying your hardest to label them. Silly really. This sort of thinking just moves society further away from the notion of equality.
Nice abs though :)
Jo McNeil
And so he should be! He looks awesome!
He is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!
Renon Schafer dayum!!
Ive been following this! He is mighty fine. Pretty sure it was him who also did a photoshoot a la that maroon5 dude
Yeah there’s a photo of that in the article =P damn fine!
DAM FINE
I want!!!
To have sex with or look like?
Both!!! lol
He is hot as! Lucky I’m marrying you Jo! X
Not sure thats lucky babe! lol
I think it’s the best!! Why cause I love you lol… Plus I’m loving the beard (Michelle can’t understand my fascination with beards!)
lol not many can understand any of your fascinations
Lol.. Yeah let’s not touch the others xx I coped “I love you but you are weird” Shell
How can one not understand one’s love for beards. Beards are life.
He’s hot.
amazing!
Anyone else wondering why he’s trans with an *?
Couldn’t find any footnotes in the article.
Or is this how we refer to trans people now? Like there’s some condition to their state of being?
I think it is because the terms “trans” can refer to not only transgender and transsexual people, but also people who are transitioning, gender queer, agendered, etc., so truncating the trans with an * means that it is inclusive of all variants of trans identity. The * is more used to truncate the word at that point to indicate it is inclusive of all other variants/terms beyond the standard definition rather than to add a footnote like its standard use :)
agree with Tim’s post above, Trans* written with the asterisk originally comes from search engines functionality, where the * is used a placeholder to indicate a range (such as sexual, gender, woman, man), it is to indicate trans as inclusive of gender diversity. here’s an intro there are heaps of websites on this : http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2012/05/what-does-the-asterisk-in-trans-stand-for/
Good point Tim I actually hadn’t thought of it that way :)
There are two replies to this from the Star Observer above.
Ridiculous
Aydin Doogs did you change your name?
The trans* part is correct, but I’m no model
you look amazing x x
The journalist is an a*hole. Constantly writing “trans*” with zero footnotes. The implication is someone isn’t a “real” trans and the editor is helping his the peeper
Here’s an explainer on why we include the asterisk after trans* as part of our style guide: http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2012/05/what-does-the-asterisk-in-trans-stand-for/
MountGambierlgbti
Awesome Journey Awesome Guy !! Awesome Body ! Admiration For HIM !! AWESOME
Quite a sexy man
Umm well definitely a man so why not ?? And a hot one at that
How beautiful is he!
Why the “*”?
Here’s an explainer on why we include the asterisk after trans* as part of our style guide: http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2012/05/what-does-the-asterisk-in-trans-stand-for/
Hot!
Totally hot!
Such a spunky dude…
Just saw a report on this guy on Good Morning America… Awesome
Wow! I’m speechless!! Just amazingly awesome!!!
That’s amazing
Jason Robert Ballard xo