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Laith Ashley

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Laith Ashley
Laith Ashley in the 2021 music video "Girl Baby" by Ezra Michel
Born (1989-07-06) July 6, 1989 (age 35)
Harlem, NY, New York
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Model, actor, singer-songwriter, activist
Known forModel

Laith Ashley De La Cruz[1] (born July 6, 1989) is an American model, actor, activist, singer-songwriter and entertainer of Dominican descent.

Early life

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Laith grew up in a Dominican American household[2][failed verification] in Harlem, New York. He practiced individual and team sports and by age 9 was already into boxing, baseball and particularly basketball, his preferred sport. He continued playing sports into high school, including competitively, sometimes in the boys' team. He was named the top athlete amongst both boys and girls by the school's athletic director.[3] His father was Roman Catholic and his mother Pentecostal Christian which influenced some of the attitudes held by family during his coming out.

First, Laith came out as homosexual when he was 17 years old,[4] although he never called himself a lesbian. He explained, "Being assigned female at birth, I thought I was a lesbian, even though I hated the word.”[2] Later, at age 19, he realized that he was transgender after watching videos produced by transgender people on YouTube. This prompted him to come out as a transgender man in 2013.[2] Laith began medically transitioning in January 2014 with masculinizing hormone therapy. His voice deepened and he quickly grew a beard. Nine months later, he had a double mastectomy[2] and adopted the name Laith (meaning "lion" in Arabic) having admired the works of Laith Hakeem.[citation needed]

Laith attended business school and studied psychology at Fairfield University in Connecticut.[5] He subsequently worked at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, where he worked with LGBT homeless youth as a social worker.[2] He explained in an interview, "When I was a kid, I’d always wanted to be a performer, singer, dancer — but as a guy. But then, I didn’t think it was possible. I did what my parents said: went to college, got a 9-to-5 job... and people would always tell me, 'You should model!'"[6]

Career

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Modeling career

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In January 2014, Laith began his transition process.[7] Soon after, in 2015, Laith organized a photo shoot with a friend,[6] and he posted the images on Instagram.[8] The images caused viral attention,[8] and many people posted negative comments. He was on the verge of deleting his Instagram account due to the negative comments, but Laverne Cox then reposted his images on her account. This helped inspire him to continue his online presence.[9][10] Since that time, Laith has modeled for a variety of venues and campaigns, including Barneys (photographed by Bruce Weber),[11] in Calvin Klein and in Diesel (shot by David LaChapelle) becoming the first-ever transgender man to be featured in a Diesel campaign.[2] Laith Ashley has also appeared on the covers of renowned fashion and lifestyle publications including in British GQ, Vogue France, Out Magazine,[3] Elle UK,[11] Attitude UK[12] Gay Times, FTM Magazine[13] and Cassius,[14] amongst others. In June 2016, Laith was featured in Attitude UK as the magazine's Summerwear and Underwear Special.[15] He appeared in a number of fashion shows including the Gypsy Sport catwalk at New York Fashion Week[5] and the Marco Marco Fashion Show at L.A. Style.[16] He is represented by the Slay Model Management agency.

Acting and music career

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In addition, Laith has done musical and television work. In 2016, Laith appeared in Strut, a television program about transgender models, which was produced by Whoopi Goldberg.[6] In June 2018, Ashley performed his music, including his single "Can't Wait" at L.A. Pride.[17] The bill included acts such as Jessica 6, Icona Pop, Keke Wyatt, Eve, Cece Peniston, Kim Petras, Jesse Saint John, Allie X, Gio Bravo, Karisma, and Saturn Rising.[18] In September 2018, Ashley released a music video for his song "Before You Go".[19][20] Furthermore, in 2018, Laith became the first transgender member of the Pit Crew in RuPaul's Drag Race. He appeared in the "Pants Down Bottoms Up" mini-challenge in Season 10.[21] In 2019, he collaborated with Kay'Vion on the latter's album Braille releasing jointly the single "Favorite".[22][better source needed] In January 2023, he starred as the love interest in the Taylor Swift music video "Lavender Haze".[23][24][25]

Activism

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Laith Ashley is an activist particularly in transgender issues. He worked with FLUX, a division of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which is dedicated to raising awareness and providing support to trans and gender-nonconforming people,[26] actively takes part in Pride parades, and has talked on numerous occasions of the dangers of transphobia and visibility of ethnic minorities.[27] He has also appeared in a great number of LGBTQ public awareness campaigns including a high-profile campaign by T-Mobile,[28][29] the "We Are Bold" campaign by AT&T and GLAAD[30] He has also talked about challenges of transitioning, about bullying, racism and very notably the visibility of transgender people in the modelling industry.

In a lengthy interview with The Huffington Post titled "I Am Trans, But It’s Not All I Am", Laith Ashley said he aspired to be more than just a transgender man. "I try to be open, more open than others may be. I try to think of it as a cis gender person who is looking at their gender as another other than their own, and if this is something they have never thought about or researched. It’s normal that they will have a lot of questions, it’s just how you ask them. You have to at least be sensitive. I think it’s important to talk about it but we want to let people know we are people just like everyone else. Don’t put us on display and under a spotlight and make it uncomfortable. I want to show everyone that yes I am trans, but its not all that I am. The same goes for all trans people. Everyone’s transition is their own; my story, my transition, my identity is my own. Everyone’s identity, trans or not, is their own... There are people that went male/female or female/male and people that are in between. I think before I was in the industry and working with the LGBT industry, I was very on the masculine spectrum; Now I feel more fluid."[31]

Filmography

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Television

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Date Series Role Episode
2016 I Am Cait Himself Guest in the reality show / Docuseries in "Partner Up" episode[32]
2016 Strut 6 episodes[33]
2018 RuPaul's Drag Race Model
(in the Pit Crew) 		"Breastworld"[34][35]
2018 Pose Sebastian "Love Is the Message"
2019 LOGO Himself "Laith Ashley - The Heartthrob"[36]

Music videos

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Year Title Performer(s) Album
2023 "Lavender Haze" Taylor Swift Midnights

Discography

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Songs

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  • 2017: "Can't Wait"[17]
  • 2017: "Before You Go" [1][19]
  • 2019: "Like Me"
Featured in
  • 2018: "Favorite" (Kay'Vion feat. Laith Ashley)[22]
  • 2021: "Every Morning" (Peppermint feat. Laith Ashley)[2]

Podcasts / Interviews

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Date Series Episode
2017 Susanna Giménez Interview on talk show Susanna Giménez (Episode 16.4)[37][38]
Aug. 1, 2017 LGBTQ&A "Laith Ashley: Everything is a Spectrum, Nothing is Binary"
Oct. 2, 2017 LatiNation Report "Laith Ashley - Transgender Model & Singer
Inspiring and Educating"[39]
Jan. 5, 2019 British GQ online[40] "Laith Ashley on transitioning and life as a model"
Jan. 29, 2018 Hollywood Unlocked[41] "Laith Ashley opens up about his transition from a woman to a man"

References

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  1. ^ Sauvalle, Julien (November 16, 2015). "Man Crush Monday: Laith Ashley De La Cruz". Out. Archived from the original on February 23, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Laith Ashley: 'Sometimes I hate having the trans title over my head'". British GQ. 19 November 2018. Archived from the original on 2019-11-11. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  3. ^ a b Zachary Zane (6 June 2018). "Laith Ashley Medically Transitioned at 24—And Became a Top Model, Actor, Drag Race Pit Crew Member (& Much More)". Out magazine. Archived from the original on 14 August 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  4. ^ Hendricks, Jaclyn (2016-03-09). "Transgender Instagram star takes fashion world by storm". New York Post. Archived from the original on 2020-03-30. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  5. ^ a b "15 things to know about the transgender model Laith Ashley". Vogue Paris. 3 August 2016. Archived from the original on 2019-11-11. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  6. ^ a b c Peoples, Landon. "This Reality Show Will Push The Modeling Industry Forward". www.refinery29.com. Archived from the original on 2019-11-11. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
  7. ^ Katz 10/29/2015, Evan Ross. "Trans Model Laith Ashley Talks About The Industry, Social Media And What He's Most Proud Of". LOGO News. Archived from the original on 2020-03-29. Retrieved 2020-03-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ a b "PHOTOS: Trans Model Laith Ashley Is Blowing Up Instagram". Queerty. 2015-10-22. Archived from the original on 2020-03-29. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
  9. ^ "Laith Ashley, Transgender, Age, Height, Body, Career, Net Worth, Instagram". 2020-02-18. Archived from the original on 2020-02-22. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
  10. ^ "Man Crush Monday: Laith Ashley De La Cruz". www.out.com. 2015-11-16. Archived from the original on 2020-02-23. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
  11. ^ a b Uk, Elle (March 11, 2016). "All You Need To Know About Laith Ashley". ELLE. Archived from the original on April 8, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  12. ^ Josh Milton (17 September 2019). "Laith Ashley reveals shocking experiences of transphobia, urges cis gay men to call it out". Archived from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  13. ^ "FTM Magazine History". 10 September 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-09-30. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  14. ^ "CASSIUS Highlights Laith Ashley, Hayley Kiyoko & Other LGBTQ Stars In Three-Part Cover". boddip.com. 14 June 2018. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  15. ^ Les Fabian Brathwaite (19 May 2016). "Hunky Trans Model Laith Ashley Is a Knockout on the Cover of Attitude". Out magazine. Archived from the original on 5 May 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  16. ^ Dawn Ennis (31 October 2016). "Trans male model Laith Ashley stuns the Marco Marco runway in L.A." LGBTQNation. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  17. ^ a b Hornet Networks (6 June 2018). "The Ultimate Guide to L.A. Pride 2018 | Hornet, the Gay Social Network". hornet.com. Archived from the original on 2019-11-12. Retrieved 2019-11-12.
  18. ^ "Get out and Show Your LA Pride". themadrid.com. Archived from the original on 2019-11-12. Retrieved 2019-11-12.
  19. ^ a b "Trans Model Laith Ashley Shows Off His Sexy Side in 'Before You Go' Music Video". Billboard. 19 November 2018. Archived from the original on 12 November 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  20. ^ "Laith Ashley - Before You Go". 26 September 2018. Archived from the original on 2021-03-08. Retrieved 2019-11-11 – via www.youtube.com.
  21. ^ Networks, Hornet (2018-05-17). "Laith Ashley Makes History as the First-Ever Trans Member of the 'Drag Race' Pit Crew". Hornet. Archived from the original on 2020-03-29. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
  22. ^ a b Amazon.com: Favorite (feat. Laith Ashley) by Kay'Vion
  23. ^ "Taylor Swift shares seductive "Lavender Haze" video". The A.V. Club. 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
  24. ^ Dailey, Hannah (2023-01-27). "Taylor Swift's 'Lavender Haze' Video Co-Star Laith Ashley Thanks Her For 'an Experience I Will Never Forget'". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
  25. ^ "Taylor Swift casts trans model Laith Ashley as her love interest in "Lavender Haze" music video". CBS News. January 27, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  26. ^ "Transidentity.org Events". Archived from the original on 2019-11-11. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  27. ^ BFoundAPen (14 September 2019). "Laith Ashley Shares His Own Experiences of Transphobia and Racism". Medium.com. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  28. ^ "TeenLine: 13 Trans Influencers & Activists That Inspire Us". 12 December 2018. Archived from the original on 2020-09-20. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  29. ^ "T-Mobile YouTube channel: Laith Ashley on the History of LGBTQ Pride | #UnlimitedPride | T-Mobile". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2020-01-07. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  30. ^ "GLAAD: Models Isis King, Laith Ashley, Arisce Wanzer Go Bold and Celebrate Pride Month". 12 June 2017. Archived from the original on 2020-08-04. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  31. ^ Michael Cook (22 March 2016). "Laith Ashley — "I Am Trans, But It's Not All I Am"". HuffPost. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  32. ^ Winter Laike and Nicole Pasulka (21 March 2016). "Am Cait Recap: Partner Up". Vulture. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  33. ^ Peoples, Landon. "This Reality Show Will Push The Modeling Industry Forward". www.refinery29.com. Archived from the original on 2019-11-11. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  34. ^ James St, James (17 May 2018). "Tonight's Drag Race (Featuring Trans Model Laith Ashley's Pit Crew Appearance!)". World of Wonder. Archived from the original on 25 May 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  35. ^ "Laith Ashley becomes first trans model to join Drag Race pit crew". 16 May 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  36. ^ "Laith Ashley - The Heartthrob | Logo30". June 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-09-06. Retrieved 2019-11-11 – via www.youtube.com.
  37. ^ "Laith Ashley se arrepintió de bardear a Susana Giménez" (in Spanish). Pronto Argentina. 20 July 2017. Archived from the original on 24 July 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  38. ^ "Susana Giménez entrevistó a Laith Ashley, un hombre trans" (in Spanish). La Nacion Argentina. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  39. ^ "Laith Ashley - Transgender Model & Singer Inspiring and Educating | LatiNation". 2 October 2017. Archived from the original on 2020-03-01. Retrieved 2019-11-11 – via www.youtube.com.
  40. ^ "Laith Ashley on transitioning and life as a model | British GQ". 5 January 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-11-11. Retrieved 2019-11-11 – via www.youtube.com.
  41. ^ "Laith Ashley opens up about his transition from a woman to a man on Hollywood Unlocked [UNCENSORED]" – via www.youtube.com.
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