Meet Aydian Dowling, the first transgender man to land the cover of Gay Times magazine

Perhaps you’re lucky enough to already know of Aydian Dowling, the 27-year-old trans bodybuilder, activist and New York vlogger who’s been popping up everywhere lately.

Though he didn’t win a competition to land the cover of Men’s Health magazine — a campaign backed by thousands in 2015 — he was eventually featured on a special edition cover along with some other men.

Now, Gay Times magazine has decided to give Dowling the magazine cover he’s been hoping for.

According to editor Darren Scott, Dowling is the first-ever trans man to be featured on the cover of an international gay magazine:

“Aydian’s story has interested me ever since I saw he was in the running to be a cover star for Men’s Health – everyone was talking about him. So I’m delighted, and honored, that he agreed to tell his story to GT, and that he’s the first trans man on the cover of not only our magazine, but that he’s the first trans man on the cover of an international gay magazine. It’s not just the fact that Aydian looks fantastic – I wish I had his drive to work out – but that his story is so interesting, and so beautifully told. It’s a touching story and I’m so glad we’re able to help get his message out there properly.”
h/t: The Independent

If he looks familiar, it might be because of a recent appearance on Ellen or his popular YouTube channel, on which he’s recorded his transition from the very beginning.

He also has almost 100,000 followers on Instagram.

Discussing the first time he was identified as male, Dowling tells Gay Times:

“A woman behind a counter of a 7-Eleven said, ‘I can serve you over here, sir.’ It was the first time a complete stranger was seeing the real me, and I was living off that high for quite a while.”

“It was like all my Christmases had come at once, like I was living on cloud nine. That must’ve been the best damn stick of gum I’ve ever bought.“

h/t: The Independent