Meet Ines Rau, Playboy magazine's first transgender playmate who lived a secret life

The Playboy issue will be available for the readers in November. Photo Courtesy: Instagram/ Supa_ines

For the first time ever, Playboy magazine has featured a transgender model as its playmate and it's a big deal. In case you are wondering what is a 'playmate' then allow us to explain: you would probably be familiar with American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine Playboy and its deceased founder Hugh Hefner. Every month, the magazine features one model in its famous center pages and she is called 'Playmate of the month'. So, you would find everything that you need to know about her there along with her photographs--including nudes. This time, Playboy has pushed its boundaries and has Ines Rau as the playmate.

Why Being a Playmate Such a Big Deal?

As you would know, Playboy is not like every other magazine that you find on the stands. It's different. It's bold. It's not afraid to express a woman's sexuality. And it experiments. Since it's a monthly magazine, one model graces the centre pages of it. What comes along with it is immense popularity and fame. And that's not it, there are other benefits too.

A playmate is paid USD 25,000, which is roughly over 16 lakh. At the end of the year, the most famous playmate becomes the 'Playmate of the Year'. She gets paid over 65 lakhs, a car, and a motorcycle. Wow!

MERCI INFINIMENT THE NEW YORK TIMES FOR THE LOVE AND SUPPORT , I AM PROUD TO BE MAKING HISTORY AND BREAKING BOUNDARIES! I WANT TO THANK THE HEFNER FAMILY AND PLAYBOY ENTREPRISE FOR THE COMPLIMENT ! BEING ASKED TO BE A PLAYMATE WAS FOR ME LIKE GETTING A GIANT BOUQUET OF ROSES, I AM SO FLATTERED AND BEYOND GRATEFUL! INTERVIEW BY LOVELY MAYA SALAM ( LINK IN BIO ) PHOTO BY DEREK KETTELA FOR PLAYBOY USA NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 ON STAND WORLDWIDE SOON!

A post shared by INES RAU (@supa_ines) on Oct 20, 2017 at 12:05am PDT

Most Famous Playmates

You'll be surprised to know that some of the most famous faces in Hollywood and American fashion industry have featured as playmates in the past.

Here are a few:

• Iconic Hollywood actress Marilyn Monroe featured in the first issue of Playboy magazine. However, she was called the 'Sweetheart of the Month'. And also the only model to be called so.
• Baywatch fame Pamela Anderson featured as the playmate in February 1990.
• Hollywood actress Cindy Crawford was a Playboy playmate too. You would remember her from the famous movie Fair Game.
• Basic Instinct actress Sharon Stone appeared in Playboy twice!
• Another popular face is that of Carmen Electra, who became famous after becoming a playmate.

You'll be surprised to know about some of the most famous Playmates. Photo Courtesy: Twitter

How Things Are Different This Time

Over the years, Playboy has made sure that it features some of the most sensational models as playmates, but never in its history it has included a transgender to be one. This is the first time ever! Though, transgender models have posed for the magazine in the past, none of them were official playmates.

According to a report published in the E!News, "Playboy and Rau are setting out to change society's perception of womanhood and all that that descriptor entails. Rau notes in her interview that being a woman doesn't mean being extremely feminine all the time. Being a woman is just being a woman."

The issue will hit the stands in November 2017 and it also has founder Hugh Hefner on the cover as tribute. Here it is:

A post shared by Playboy (@playboy) on Oct 18, 2017 at 6:04pm PDT

Since we have established how special this edition is going to be, let's find out more about Playboy's first transgender model Ines Rau.

Interesting Facts About Ines Rau

1. 26-year-old Ines is a French model of North African descent. She grew up in France as a boy.
2. She lived as a woman from the ages between 18-24. Interestingly, she never told anyone that she was born as a boy during that time.
3. The model has 220,000 followers on Instagram.
4. She first posed for Playboy magazine in 2014 in edition titled Evolution. It was a nude photo shoot.
5. In 2013, her Facebook and Instagram accounts were shut down after she tried posting her nude photographs on them.
6. She has posed for Vogue Italia and has walked the ramp in fashion weeks across the world.
7. Ines has recently signed a book deal and has also been featured in a film.

A post shared by INES RAU (@supa_ines) on Sep 22, 2017 at 10:57am PDT

Ines Rau Has a Message For People In The Latest Playboy Issue

The model is more than happy to be Playboy's next playmate. But, it's not just about the fame for her. She has a bigger message that she wishes to spread through her interview to the magazine.

"I lived a long time without saying I was transgender. I dated a lot and almost forgot. I was scared of never finding a boyfriend and being seen as weird. Then I was like, You know, you should just be who you are. It's a salvation to speak the truth about yourself, whether it's your gender, sexuality, whatever. The people who reject you aren't worth it. It's not about being loved by others; it's about loving yourself," she has said in the interview.

A post shared by INES RAU (@supa_ines) on Aug 12, 2017 at 1:37am PDT

Ines says she is an advocate for the rights of LGBTQ community and she will always fight for them.

Well, more power to her!