America's Next Top Model Goes Transgender

There's a first for everything. Last year, brought us the very first 20-year-old Plus-Size winner, Whitney Thompson for America's Next Top Model. What will it be there year?

It is America's Next Top Model, and in America - we have transgendered people. That's right, America's Next Top Model Cycle 11 includes a transgendered contestant. 22-year-old Isis is part of the top 14. "My cards were dealt differently," Isis told Us Weekly, identifying herself as "a woman born physically male." Originally from Prince George's County, Maryland, the former receptionist currently lives in New York City and works as a program assistant at a non-profit organization.

Will she be a role model? Isis, who shares a name with the Egyptian Goddess, said that she doesn't necessarily see herself as a role model for transgender people. "I like to help people, but I'm here to follow my dreams," she says.

If she wins, she'll get a management deal with Elite Model Management, a $100,000 Cover Girl contract and a cover story and six-page fashion spread in an issue of Seventeen magazine.

"The CW is committed to diversity in all of our programming, a reflection of the female 18-34 demographic we target," a network spokesman said in a statement.

GLAAD president Neil Giuliano thinks Isis' presence on America's Next Top Model Cycle 11 is "an unprecedented opportunity for a community that is underrepresented on television. We applaud Tyra Banks (Hostess and Head Judge for ANTM) and The CW for making this historic visibility of transgender people possible."

Other ANTM beauty hopefuls to watch out for: Nikeysha, a 19-year-old student from the Bronx, Analeigh, a 19-year-old student, from Los Angeles, California, Brittany, a 19-year-old from Henderson, Nevada who works in customer service, Clark, a 19-year-old, who hails from Pawleys Island, South Carolina, Ukraine native Elina, a 19-year-old, who currently lives in Seattle, Washington, Hannah, a 19-year-old student from Fairbanks, Alaska, Josleyn, 23 years old, is a Lucky, Louisiana native, Lauren Brie, 20 years old, is a student from Radford, Virginia, Marjorie, a 19-year-old native of France, now resides in San Francisco, ShaRaun, 18 years old, is a student in Chicago, Illionois, Samantha, 18, is a student athlete from Woodland Hills, California, McKey, 19 years old, is from Lake Forest, Ill, and Sheena, 21 years old, is a hostess and go-go dancer. See Isis and the other 13 top models for Cycle 11 of America's Top Model when it returns to the CW for a special two-hour premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 3rd 2008 8PM Eastern Standard Time.