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: