“Dark, curvy and transgender”, Somali-Norwegian Model goes to London and New York
The Norwegian newspaper Dagens Næringsliv reports on transgender woman Ceval Omar, who has signed model contracts with Muse in New York and Milk in London.
“Ceval is the first model out there that ticks off all three boxes, Jonas Mangerud of the model agency Heartbreak Management says: “She is dark, curvy and transgender.”
“I have fought, demanded, refused and sacrificed my whole life in order to be allowed to be who I am,” Ceval tells the newspaper.
“Fortunately I have people in my life who have supported me and allowed me to be myself. People who have made me feel safe, and who have told me I was worthy. I am immensely grateful for their help, because I have often pushed people away…in order to protect myself and avoid being hurt.”
"No one choses to have a difficult life,” she says while referring to the transgender political struggle.
“I did not chose to be told by society, my family, by all, that I do not deserve to live. I did not chose to be afraid of my life all the time, to fear that a man will feel that he has the right to kill me if he fails to understand [that I am transgender]… No one choses this!”
See also: Everybody Loves Ceval: The Somali-Norwegian, Curvy, Trans Model (Refinery29)
Photo: Jimmy Linus