The new season of America’s Next Top Model is starting soon and it is going to be all about Isis. Who is Isis? She is the transgender model, of course. “My Cards were dealt differently,” says Isis. Isis describes herself as “a woman born physically male.” Will she be a role model? “I like to help people, but I’m here to follow my dreams,” says Isis.

So, is Isis going to be the first transgender model on America’s Next Top Model? “She has – pardon the pun – that extra something special,” says judge J. Alexander about Isis, the 22-year-old transgender contestant who will be competing on the 11th cycle of America’s Next Top Model.

“Please – she could probably teach me something on the catwalk!” Even though Isis was born a man and is still saving for a sex-change operation, “Miss J” says this was not an issue when it came time to compete: “We put her in a bathing suit and there was nothing dangling.”

In fact, J. asserts, transgender models have long been a part of the fashion industry – although many have not been as open about it as Isis. “Over the past 15 years, there have been several highly successful ones,” he says. “I know five, easy, who’re passing as women, doing shows, with really great careers – and no one knew.

Well, I knew! So the great thing about Isis is that she actually goes into this competition with no luggage, per se. The struggles of her formerly being a man aren’t hindering her challenges – just everything else that makes modeling difficult. She’s just one of the girls.” [sources: Us Weekly, In Touch]