Woman who cut off hair to work as male model speaks of how she and her husband now get mistaken for a ‘gay couple’
A blonde bombshell, who cut off her hair in a bid to work as a male model, has told how she and her husband now get mistaken for a ‘gay couple.’
Elliott Sailors, 31, currently based in New York with Adam Santos-Coy, told Elle.com: ‘Sometimes people just see us as that, which doesn’t bother us, except when people are unkind.’
The six-foot-two-inch beauty added: ‘Even when people do know that I’m a woman, they think that if Adam’s with a woman like me, then he must be gay and hiding it. People have all these wild opinions.’
But instead of trying to assert ‘traditional’ gender roles, the couple chooses to play up the same-sex look. Indeed, at the recent premiere of Michael Polish’s film Big Sur, Sailors appeared in a men’s style black suit and white shirt alongside Santos-Coy, who was also suited. (Picture above right)
Sailors, a former beauty-pageant contestant from Tucson, Arizona, who was raised Mormon, was previously signed to the women’s division of Ford Models. But in October 2012, she decided to cut off her hair, wrap her breasts and try her hand at modeling menswear.
It was a ‘natural transition’ she told the New York Post, because ‘earlier on in my career, I would get frustrated because I thought I looked too masculine. I have a strong jaw, wide forehead, huge eyebrows. I thought I looked like a man wearing make-up.’
As well as taking her career in a new direction, she hoped the transformation would open up a conversation about identity and gender in fashion.
Now after experiencing ‘both aspects’ of the modeling industry, Sailors appears to prefer assignments where she is booked to work as ‘a man’.
She told Elle.com: ‘One of my favorite things, actually, about working in menswear is that people are much more direct about what they want. As a female, people would try to be a little bit more careful with what they said to me. They didn’t want to step on toes. They would just find a nice way of saying, “Oh, maybe you could try to do it this way . . .” As a guy, they’ll just be like, “Dude, stand up straight. C’mon.”‘
She said that her husband of two years has been 100per cent supportive of her makeover. He even filmed her as she had her long locks cut off at a barbers shop. However, her mother, Tamsin, is less approving of her shaved-sides-and-long-on-top hairstyle.
‘My mom has made it clear that she doesn’t agree with it, that it’s not something that she feels she’s in alignment with, in terms of her beliefs,’ Sailors said.
She isn’t the only female model to move away from world of womenswear. Casey Legler, 36, from New York was the first woman to be signed on a modeling contract for only male gigs. Like Sailors, Legler has no intention of taking any permanent steps to physically change genders.
Concluding, Sailors said: ‘As far as my body, I never felt like I was born in the wrong body, that’s just not something that I’ve dealt with.’
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29 Comments
Pete
January 07, 05:45What beliefs could the mum be talking about here?
Max
January 07, 06:05Good question
gad
January 07, 06:22Her beliefs as a Mormon
Pete
January 07, 12:15*googles Mormon *
Absalom
January 07, 06:03Hmm. Things are happening.
chestnut
January 07, 06:20Well, the world would be a bland place, if ppl didn’t do “weird” things. Wonder why a gorgeous (straight) woman would decide to work as a man…in an industry that pays women better (and she has all d qualities that successful female models should have.)
And those ppl that think her husband is secretly gay…look at that man’s face; he doesn’t even need another “beard”; that beard is EVERYTHING!!!
gad
January 07, 06:30There is something called choice and a right to choose. I hope you are not implying that she has no right to “choice”
chestnut
January 07, 06:39Of course she has a right to choose! Everyone has a right to choose,but sometimes,we still indulge in harmless wondering…it’s human nature. You never wondered why someone did something?
pinkpanthertb
January 07, 06:46Tis your choice to wonder, not so? 🙂
gad
January 07, 12:15Na wonder I just dey wonder
chestnut
January 07, 07:31Exactly, pinky!
Eros
January 07, 06:22There is nothing new under the sun?? Really? Okay oooo
Dennis Macauley
January 07, 06:24There is this androgynous model that was at the new york fashion week. (S)he modelled a male collection as well as a female collection. It was very intriguing to me.
This woman is not transgender, she is just cashing in on what may have a slight disadvantage and since fashion prefers the male waif look she will fit right in.
You know whay they say about life giving you lemons
gad
January 07, 06:32DM, I just dropped a query on your desk. Why were you on AWOL
Dennis Macauley
January 07, 06:42Me ke? I have been around na! Whatelse will i be doing, have you forgotten that i am an unemployed man with a bold 5?
pinkpanthertb
January 07, 06:46LMAO!!!!! Oh Dennis
gad
January 07, 12:17Hahahahaha. And some hard to maintain dogs
gad
January 07, 06:27This is no news na. Its just like one of the things the men who sits under the trees drinking beer on your to and from work will talk about. Pls next post
Khaleesi
January 07, 06:38@Gad – surprisingly, i am 75% in agreement with you. I couldn’t make much of a head or tail of this post. Its just mildly entertaining ….
gad
January 07, 12:00And you have to add to the entertainment by agreeing 75% with me and surprisingly too? Ok. Noted
#TeamKizito
January 07, 06:45Hmmm.
Deola
January 07, 07:02For a moment there, i thought that was Margot Robbie of Wolf of wall street fame. Now that would have created major controversy.
I always commend those who break stereotypes and challenge societies idea of whats ‘normal'(as long as no one is harmed or victimized in the process of doing so) so you go girl!!! And werk it!!!
KyrxxX
January 07, 08:01Warever! All I see is that early man standing close to her with sambisa on his face! Wtf! How do dey even kiss? Hian!! If that man ain’t straight, then no man is straight! Gbam!
Lord II
January 07, 09:21Lol!!! Oh Kryss…what do u so have against them beards sef.. actually I know of someone that finds hair on the body very eh…sexy in fact….you should meet him…he likes sniffing out any hairs on your body and….oh what the heavens….u know what am talking bout abi!!! Heheheehe
KyrxxX
January 07, 14:36Like double………….. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! Lord? Seriously? Reading through ur comments alone gave me goose bumps nd they r not good ones @ all! I just imagined waking up to someone sniffing me all over nd I also imagined slapping someone into China! Wtf!!
I have nothing against beards but pls not that kind biko! Imagine having a very romantic dinner nd a piece of it mistakenly falls on his rainforest *puke*! What a horror! I like beards but they should be like that Hardprick………oops! sorry…….. Like that Chadwick guy from “Being Maryjane”. I need it to tickle nd not mop my face through when d did is been done.
tobby
January 07, 10:43Interesting, is she some kind of pseudo transgender?..lol
Dom
January 07, 13:06Nice. Those cheekbones though, talk about Greek sculptures.
Constant
January 07, 15:33Everyone is entitled to her/his choice…..She really looks good in male wear….as for the mum…abeg make she rest
Ace
January 07, 17:05All na entertainment