Meet the first plus-size transgender model to score a major fashion campaign

"I actually wanted to feature a transgender plus-size model for Coverstory's first season," she said. "It was always my goal. I searched everywhere. I checked with the usual modeling agencies and even tried scouting on my own ... but with no luck."

She found Neary through the Transmodel agency just in time to shoot Coverstory's second collection. 

"I met with her and that was it," she said.

When Kan stumbled on Neary, she had no idea that the size 26 model had only been modeling for a short time. A coworker encouraged Neary to apply to the Transmodel agency when she saw an advertisement for it in Time Out.

"After much hesitation, and remembering how many of my friends telling me I should model... I took a chance, and applied, thinking they weren't going to be interested, because of my size," she told Revelist. "One week later, I got a message from the owner that she would like me to come on board."

She's no longer with Transmodel because she's looking for more. Enter Coverstory.

Trans models are often asked to pose nude. Neary is excited to be breaking that mold: 

I've done maybe eight to 10 naked shoots. I'm a new trans-plus model to the scene, but I have yet to find any designer willing to actually dress me for a shoot or book me an actual high-profile gig. They're not willing to get you clothes. They're not willing to find a designer to get you clothes for a shoot. [Photographers say] 'We're not gonna hide your body, we want your raw body.' Hmm, how about [designing] some clothing for my 'raw body?'

Advertising clothes, rather than her nude body, is exactly what the Coverstory campaign allows her to do. She said she feels validated by her casting 

"Have you ever gone shopping with an expired coupon?  That one in your purse you forgot about. You get to the counter to pay, try using it, hoping that folded piece of paper will go through," she told Revelist. "Then it goes through. You got 40% off your purchase. You've overcome the system. That's the feeling."

She told Mic that showing the complexity of transgender people is one of her biggest goals. 

"We have to all be seen. Not just some of us, not just ones who fit the transgender bill," she said. "Not just the streamline passable woman, or the plastic Kim [Kardashian] wannabe. We all have value and integrity. We deserve to be seen in mainstream media. ... Our lives have purpose."

Being plus-size and transgender comes with many obstacles, but Neary said the pushback has thickened her skin. 

"Overcoming those challenges can be aggravating; constant rejection has become a norm for me," she said. "Those rejections don't make me any less of a person though. If this is what I want, then I need to push forward. No matter the struggle. Keep going to castings, keep sending emails, keep being me."

She said some designers are dressing plus-size women well, but many aren't rising to meet the challenge:

Designers like Christian Siriano and Ashley Nell Tipton, both 'Project Runway' stars, are going a good job at approaching these problems. [They're] making clothing more inclusive [and] making diversity an important part of their brand, which is how the fashion world should be — full body inclusion with full gender inclusion, not just a sporadic Black model, or trans girl. Put as much meaning into your audience as you do your designs.

Heidi Kan wanted to capitalize on that momentum with this campaign. 

"When Hari Nef signed with IMG and Caitlin Jenner graced the cover of Vanity Fair I knew it was time to promote and feature plus-size transmodels," she told Revelist.

Coverstory is also helping to normalize trans bodies as beautiful and worthy.