Olympic medalist Gus Kenworthy and ground-breaking trans model Laith Ashley go shirtless for the cover of Attitude magazine‘s October 2019 issue, on newsstands now.
Here is what the two stars shared about prejudice against the trans community, racism, and overcoming trauma of growing up LGBTQ in a straight world.
Laith on violence against the trans community: “I haven’t personally experienced physical violence, but I have been disrespected and mis-gendered by people both within and outside our community. There was one situation about 18 months ago in West Hollywood where a guy was just really disrespectful… I was enraged but I knew I couldn’t react. However, violence does happen and because there is, at times, a need to be viewed as hypermasculine, as male, and to be respected as a man, a lot of trans men tend to stay silent when they do experience violence from a partner, because it’s something that is expected to happen only to women. And if it does happen to a man, they ‘should be able to handle it.’ That way of thinking is a product of toxic masculinity.”
Gus on overcoming the trauma of growing up LGBTQ in a straight world: “I’ve just come out of another long relationship and I don’t even really want to totally get into it, but it’s sort of still that same thing. After a bunch of years together, realising that I’m not necessarily ready to truly love and value and appreciate someone else because I don’t know if I truly love, value and appreciate myself. I’m getting there, but it’s a work in progress.”
For more from the guys, visit Attitude.co.uk!
