Whether she’s coaching a transgender aspiring model on Top Model or putting The Advocate’s “Gay Is the New Black” cover up for debate on her talk show, Tyra Banks always struts the right side of the runway between exploiting and celebrating gay people.
Whether she’s coaching a transgender aspiring model on America’s Next Top Model or putting The Advocate’s cover line “Gay Is the New Black” up for debate on her eponymous talk show, Tyra Banks always struts the right side of the runway between exploiting and celebrating the gay people. The 35-year-old former supermodel was even honored with the prestigious Excellence in Media Award at the 20th annual GLAAD Media Awards in March. Now sizing up the competition for cycle 13 of Top Model, which premieres September 9 on the CW, Banks shares some drag-worthy beauty secrets and reveals who’s still in the running towards becoming her next gay best friend.
You’ve done so much to educate people about gay issues. What did we do to deserve so much of your attention?
As a model immersed in the fashion industry, I was lucky to be embraced by the LGBT community, and many of them became my dear friends. They’ve shared the stories of their struggle, pain, and excommunication from their families, as well as their triumphs. Those friends have really become a second family to me, and I would never be where I am today without their support.
What did it mean for you to receive the recognition from GLAAD?
2008 was a really big year for me -- my talk show won an Emmy, True Beauty [which I executive-produced] became a hit, and Top Model continued to grow -- but I have to say that I was incredibly honored to receive that award. I feel so fortunate to have the power to put a transgender woman like Isis on Top Model last year; that was a very proud moment for me, and it took a lot to get there. Of course, there have also been a number of lesbian contestants on Top Model since the very beginning, but I don’t pay attention to anyone’s sexual orientation; I focus on their modeling ability. And I’m proud to have my talk show as another platform that allows me to address important LGBT issues, so to have that community recognize me for my efforts is very rewarding.
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