Playboy Mexico has made a major statement with the recent release of its latest publication. For the first time ever, the magazine is featuring a transgender woman on its cover. Mexican vlogger, actress and queer activist Victoria Velásquez, 27, who is known by her professional name Victoria Volkóva, graces the cover of the November/December issue.
Originally from Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico, Volkóva studied fashion design in Mexico City. Over the years, she has shared her transition story with her millions of followers on social media. With the release of the magazine, Volkóva has taken another step forward in her journey.
“This cover celebrates the different ways of being a woman, the different ways of being beautiful, the different ways of exploring your sensuality and enjoying your process,” she wrote on her Instagram account last week. “I hope that with this cover people are more curious. More curiosity to know each other…more curiosity to know what it is like to be a trans person.”
Playboy Mexico welcomed Volkóva to their family last week. “Playboy Mexico is committed to the openness and diversity for which we fight daily in this country,” the magazine wrote on Instagram. “The brand has historically been singled out because pleasure is a benefit to all people, regardless of gender, sexual orientation or race.”
Not only is the groundbreaking cover a victory for Volkóva, it’s also a strong statement about acceptance and inclusion of the trans community in Mexico. According to the L.A. Times, Mexico is the second deadliest country after Brazil for trans people.
