Trans community battles beauty standards with #MyVanityFairCover

By ALEXIS BENVENISTE

While social media response to Caitlyn Jenner's Vanity Fair cover was overwhelmingly positive, progressive, and supportive, the topic has generated conversation about trans beauty standards.

Recently, in light of Caitlyn Jenner's Vanity Fair cover, Laverne Cox took to her Tumblr page to discuss the beauty standards that surround today's trans community.

On her Tumblr page, Cox said, "It is important to note that these standards are also informed by race, class and ability among other intersections. I have always been aware that I can never represent all trans people. No one or two or three trans people can."

Other Tumblr users took Cox's post as an opportunity to open up and continue the conversation about trans women and men and the issues that they face daily. After being inspired by Caitlyn's Vanity Fair cover, two Tumblr users decided to create their own Vanity Fair covers with the modified headline: "Call me _______." Before long, #MyVanityFair cover took Twitter and Tumblr by storm, inspiring other people in the trans community to create their own cover.

Tumblr user Crystal Frasier accompanied her customized magazine cover with the caption, "I've felt frustrated and useless and overwhelmed by opinions on transgender women and how we're 'supposed' to look if we want to be taken seriously."

The idea for the customized Vanity Fair cover came from Frasier and her roommate, Jenn Dolari, who tweeted, "Where's MY Vanity Fair cover?" The roommates joined forces and urged other members of the trans community to create their own Vanity Fair magazine covers with the pre-made template that Dolari and Frasier created.

Since then, the pair has created a Tumblr completely dedicated to the project.