America’s Next Top Model certainly created some buzz around their upcoming season when they revealed that one of their contestants was transgendered. Isis comes to the show from New York City. The 22 year old aspiring model works for a non-profit organization and is the show’s first transgendered contestant to make the Top 14. GLAAD praised the casting move, calling it “an unprecedented opportunity for a community that is underrepresented on television.” Fox News joked about Isis joining the show, a move that found themselves under fire. It seems that there are opinions all over the spectrum on Top Model’s casting choice and BuddyTV readers were not shy with letting their voices be heard.

There have been very few negative comments made by our readers on the topic and it seems that, for the most part, people are very open minded to seeing Isis compete on America’s Next Top Model next month. In fact, 71% of readers felt that transgendered contestants should be allowed to compete on the show. The main concern of the readers is that Tyra Banks has an agenda, perhaps in the way that she did with Whitney Thompson, the first plus size winner. BuddyTV reader sxcappledumplin said it best: “I personally have no problem with there being a transgender on the show. I just dont want it to affect the chances of other girls to win. I just hope its a FAIR competition.” We do too!

All in all, the BuddyTV readers seem to think that having a transgendered contestant on the show will make things interesting. BuddyTV reader Ianrocks wondered how the other girls would treat Isis while ithilicious feared she would get feedback from the judges that she looked “too drag”. Whatever Isis’s reception by her fellow competitors and whatever her critiques from the judges, she definitely brings an element of surprise and intrigue to a show that, at times, can feel a little stale. BuddyTV readers are behind Isis and America’s Next Top Model, at the very least for the entertainment value of it and at the most, to see the show crown its first transgendered model as its winner.



- Gina Scarpa, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of CW)