National Geographic gives the world its first transgender cover girl

In 1985, National Geographic  printed a photograph of an Afghan refugee on its cover, and it garnered worldwide attention. The magazine is again making headlines, courtesy the cover, which will kick off the New Year.

It features, for the first time, a nine-year-old transgender girl called Avery Jackson. The picture has been shot by world renowned photographer Robin Hammond, who strives to document human rights and development issues through his work.

Also read: The 'Afghan girl' arrested on charges of false identity. Did her popularity take her down?

@natgeomag I'm shaking so much I can barely type. Thank you for featuring Avery! #transisbeautiful pic.twitter.com/R1FAw6ayBH

- Debi Jackson (@transgirl_mom) December 14, 2016

The magazine issue specifically focuses on 'Gender Revolution' and it is set to hit the stands on December 27, this year. According to a press release, the issue examines the cultural, social, biological, and personal aspects of gender identity. The subscriber's edition of the magazine includes features like 'Dangerous Lives of Girls', which focuses on the lives of young women in Sierra Leone, a small country in West Africa, and 'Rethinking Gender', which tells how science can help with gender identity.

The Huffington Post quoted National Geographic's Editor-in-Chief Susan Goldberg as saying, "We wanted to look at how traditional gender roles play out all over the world, but also look into gender as a spectrum. There's lots of coverage on celebrities, but there wasn't an understanding on real people and the issues we face every day in classrooms or workplaces in regards to gender."

@janetmock look for us next month! My daughter stands out with her pink hair. ?? pic.twitter.com/PDckD5U0Lz

- Debi Jackson (@transgirl_mom) March 7, 2016

Jackson, who has appeared on the cover wearing a pink t-shirt and a capri looks adorable posing for the camera. Also, the words printed on the magazine cover are hard-hitting and makes you re-think your stuck-up ideas of gender identity. It reads: "the best thing about being a girl is, now I don't have to pretend to be a boy". Yup, it does strike a chord.

We are hoping that this edition of the magazine does the same for transgenders, as its 1985 cover did for refugees.

Also read: Pakistani transgenders get a voice, thanks to this amazing photoshoot