Amelia Gapin Becomes First Trans Woman On Cover Of “Women’s Running” Magazine

"I wanted to be able to show other trans people what’s possible and that they can be their true selves."

From: NewNowNext

 After being named a finalist last fall, Amelia Gapin has become the first trans woman to grace the cover of Women’s Running magazine, in the magazine’s July issue.


 “You know, I grew up through the ’90s and there was never any positive representation,” Gapin, 33, told USA Today. “I just remember growing up thinking, ’I guess there’s nobody else like me. I’m the only person who feels the way that I do.’ It was really, really alienating because I didn’t know you could actually transition and live those things you felt and be the person you knew you were.”

This is actually the first time I've held a physical copy! cc: @womensrunningmagazine #transgender #transathlete #transrunner #trans

A photo posted by Amelia Gapin (@entirelyamelia) on Jun 15, 2016 at 10:18am PDT

Gapin, a software programmer for Tumblr, is also the co-founder of MyTransHealth, a site connecting users with trans-friendly physicians and healthcare professional. She was actually hesitant to enter the competition for the cover.

“I’ve always hated the idea of being treated like I’m special,” she said when she made the finals. “I don’t want to be on the cover of a magazine simply because I was born with the wrong junk and being trans is all the rage in the media these days. I have no desire to play into the voyeurism of trans lives by cis (not trans) people.”


Ultimately, though, she decided “I wanted to be able to show other trans people what’s possible and that they can be their true selves.”

“What we really wanted to underline is every body, every person, every woman is welcome into the Women’s Running community,” says Women’s Running editor-in-chief Jessica Sebor.

“And we just thought Amelia’s openness and embracing of her own identity was something that underlined that mission.”