Gender-fluid aspiring model: 'I want to make my own beauty standard'
Aaron Phillip is preparing you now: Get ready to see her on a runway near you.
The 16-year-old just went viral on Twitter for a tweet, accompanied by a few test shots by Jasmine Weber, that proclaimed her future goals to take over the modeling industry. She wrote, “Honestly when i get scouted/discovered by a modeling agency it’s OVER for y’all! by y’all i mean the WORLD! it’s real inclusivity/diversity hours folks, get into it!” It has already been retweeted more than 23,000 times and racked up 84,000 likes and hundreds of encouraging responses.
honestly when i get scouted/discovered by a modeling agency it’s OVER for y’all! by y’all i mean the WORLD! it’s real inclusivity/diversity hours folks, get into it! pic.twitter.com/58VOSafAm6
— aaron (@aaronphilipxo) November 24, 2017
Phillip is a physically disabled, nonbinary femme, an underrepresented minority in the fashion world — which is exactly why she wants to get involved.
“What draws me to modeling is the lack of positive representation for those like me whom are physically disabled, black and/or trans in the world of art and fashion,” Phillip tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “I feel compelled to become a model in order to make my own beauty standard as a person representing more than one marginalized identity. I want to show the world that my beauty can be mainstream and shown on the runway, editorials, and magazines.”
Judging by the responses to Phillip’s viral tweet, she may be well on her way to supermodel success. Model Duckie Thot, who just starred in a Fenty Beauty campaign, reached out, as did a black trans model looking to collaborate. Phillip also seems highly aware of the role she could play in the industry: “i’m on the road to be represented by an agency as more of a statement tbh! agencies need inclusivity/diversity, and that’s exactly where i wanna come in,” she wrote on Twitter.
wow hi you are amazing! tysm for reaching out. i know that freelancing is an option for me and a good one at that, but i’m on the road to be represented by an agency as more of a statement tbh! agencies need inclusivity/diversity, and that’s exactly where i wanna come in
— aaron (@aaronphilipxo) November 25, 2017
Although a few trolls peppered into the comments, the responses were mostly made up of fans and supporters. The compliments ranged from “you’ve got a LOOK!” to “Beyond fierce!” to “You look great. I’m here for it.”
I’m so ready to see you on the cover of a Vogue magazine. Baby you’re gonna do great. You WILL get discovered. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from doing what you love! ?? can’t wait to see you prosper baby
— Jay (@driizzyjayy) November 26, 2017
I’m a disabled bi woman and I? feel this!! It’s sad we have to work twice as hard as everyone else but we can change that and WILL change that!
— nicole (@ourelectra) November 25, 2017
GET IT! YES to more non-binary models, YES to more disabled models.
— Hannah Poison Allen (@kylo_renly) November 27, 2017
wowowowow ur serving FACE!!!!! Can’t wait to see you go far
— Kayla Tuchler (@kaylatuchler) November 25, 2017
Phillip tells Yahoo Lifestyle that she’s “incredibly grateful for the reaction my tweet got online on Twitter, Instagram, and beyond.” But among the positive responses, Phillips notes: “There have also been very ableist, transmisogynistic reactions as well. I don’t let any of that dictate my beauty or worth though. It’s truly all about confidence, love, and hard work.”
As one fan wrote: “I’m so ready to see you on the cover of a Vogue magazine.” Thanks to people like Aaron, the future of fashion is bright.
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
Ashley Graham embraces her curves in all of her Miss Universe 2017 looks
Hunter McGrady is ‘a little curvier these days’ — and she’s okay with it
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