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Ed note: In his interview with Diane Sawyer, Bruce Jenner said he identifies as a woman and wants to continue using male pronouns. It's our policy to call everyone by the pronouns they prefer, and so until Jenner tells us differently, we'll use "he" and "his" in our coverage.
In one of the most YouTube-worthy clips from Diane Sawyer’s groundbreaking interview with Bruce Jenner — the last, he says, before his physical transition to female — Jenner said, “I'm saying goodbye to people's perception of me and who I am. I'm not saying goodbye to me, because this is who I am.” It was a total slow-clap moment — a powerful, inspiring example of a transgender person owning his identity.
Jenner isn’t the only prominent transgender individual redefining society’s ideas about beauty and gender right now. Take Lea T and Andreja Pejić, the out-and-proud spokesmodels of major beauty brands Redken and Make Up For Ever (respectively). Or, Orange Is the New Black star Laverne Cox, a trans activist who recently posed nude for a drop-dead gorgeous spread in Allure. While these icons are shattering stereotypes left and right, they’re also teaching us that beauty is power — and expressing yourself through the way you look can be exciting, revelatory, liberating, fun, and profound.
Here are 13 awesome, empowering, “fuck yeah!” quotes from the trans beauties we admire most.
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