Media Thrusts Black Trans Wheelchair-Bound Model Into Spotlight

Aaron Rose Philip, a black transgender-identified model with cerebral palsy, attended the Met Gala on Monday.

“I feel like the whole world has tried to tell people like me, whether it’s that I am black or trans or disabled, that I am not worthy of having a space in these major industries. That my worth is not enough to be in these places,” Philip griped while getting ready for the Met Gala. 

Philip appears to believe he is entitled to an illustrious career as a fashion model. This is an odd belief, given the industry’s typically high standards. His complaining is made more ridiculous when one considers the lengths that normal women go through to “make it” as a model. Severe dieting is the least of it. Many aspiring models from poor families go into debt to travel overseas for shows. (RELATED: Self-Absorbed Stars Attend Met Gala In A Parade Of Fails)

Philip did not appear subject to such demands. He was signed by Elite New York City in 2018.

Vogue Magazine celebrated Philip’s presence at the Met Gala with an interview in their “Celebrity Style” section. Mission Magazine posted a congratulatory message to social media. International Business Times UK rounded up 10 photos of Philip “making history” at the Gala. 

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 13: Aaron Rose Philip at Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace on April 13, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Flipper’s World)

“I’m obviously trans, and disabled, and black, which is something that’s not seen, and should be seen,” Philip told The New York Times (NYT) in a glowing profile published 2018.

Philip has used his fame to gripe about perceived injustices. In a 2024 Ted Talk, Philip said, “I think it’s time to say the quiet part out loud. The fashion industry is unlikely to book or pay black, transfeminine, and/or physically disabled models to do runway, editorial, and/or campaign, because of an absence of whiteness, being able-bodied, or proximity to.” (RELATED: Alex Consani Defeats Women As ‘Model Of The Year’)

Philip’s race seems to have created few impediments to his success in the fashion industry. If anything, Philip has been heralded as an icon of “representation” for his trifecta of marginalized traits. Moreover, Philip’s constant reference to race makes little sense given the enormous success enjoyed by non-white models. Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, Alek Wek, Joan Smalls, Anok Yai. I could go on. 

The vast majority of human beings would make poor models. Philip is among them.

Follow Natalie Sandoval on X: @NatSandovalDC