Munroe Bergdorf makes history as first trans woman on cover of Cosmopolitan UK
Munroe Bergdorf is the new Cosmo cover star. (Cosmopolitan/Getty)
Munroe Bergdorf has become the first out trans woman to grace the cover of Cosmopolitan UK.
The model and activist appears on the cover of Cosmopolitan UK’s 50th anniversary edition, beaming next to the caption: “Munroe Bergdof shows us how to change the world”.
Inside the magazine, which hits stands 21 January, Munroe discusses their career, the climate, cancel culture, pronouns and the future of trans rights, fielding questions from sustainability writer Aja Barber, PinkNews‘ own gender and identity reporter Vic Parsons and filmmaker and intersex right activist River Gallo.
“I hope there’s a young trans girl looking at this cover thinking: ‘I can do it too and who I am is not going to hold me back,'” she says.
On their hopes for the future, Bergdorf adds: “I believe the people want trans inclusion, racial equality, to end misogyny so women and girls feel safe walking home at night.”
“I don’t think we have ever been as enlightened as a people as we are now, even if there is a lot of misinformation around. I do feel like the spark has been lit. Less people are passively accepting what they have been presented with and that’s an incredible thing.”
Bergdof is hopeful for the possibility of changing, saying: “It shows there’s only so long that people can hold on to a world that doesn’t exist anymore, before embracing a new one.”
Claire Hodgson, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan UK celebrated Munroe Bergdorf as a “trailblazer”.
The 34-year old model took to Twitter to express her joy at making history with the cover, writing: “I can’t believe I’m writing this…”
“BEYOND excited to share that I am @cosmopolitanUK’s covergirl for their 50th Anniversary Issue!
“I’m also the first transgender woman to ever feature on the cover in those 50 years of publication ?”
Alongside her illustrious modelling career, Bergdof is dedicated advocate on a wide range of issues, including feminism, trans rights, anti-racism and mental health.
Previously, Bergdof penned an op-ed for Grazia where they wrote that, “feminism must serve as an inclusive tool of liberation for all female identities and experiences, not just some” and pointed out various ways that mainstream feminism fails to be inclusive of transgender women.
“For the day [of the Women’s March] to be truly progressive, it should focus on elevating the voices and experiences of those who are most often silenced and ignored in society,” she added.
Bergdof has expressed concerns about how trans women are seen as an “afterthought” in feminist movements, “when statistically we [trans women] are the most at risk when it comes to issues of mental health, sexual assault, unemployment and homelessness”.
In February 2021, Bergdof deleted her Twitter account due to the torrent of transphobic abuse she received on the social media platform, writing: “Tired of being a punching bag. Twitter is not a safe app for transgender people.”
The activist called on social media platforms take more action to combat the abuse directed at transgender people and women online.
