Transgender Model Wins 'Holland's Next Top Model'

Loiza Lamers, a transgender model, won "Holland's Next Top Model" on Monday, making her the first transgender winner of the "Top Model" franchise.

Lamers, a 20-year-old former hairdresser, reportedly kept her gender identity a secret from the show's producers until she had been cast as one of the competitors on the show, according to Dutch news outlet De Gelderlander .

She said she didn't tell others about her transgender identity because she didn't want it to effect her progress in the competition. But due to Internet rumors she went public about her transition after the show aired, she said , and she has received overwhelmingly positive responses .

While transgender models have been featured across the "Top Model" franchise, with Isis King from cycle 11 and cycle 17 of the U.S. version of the show, Lamers is the first to actually win the competition.

“I’m really at a point where I can say I am very proud to be transgender,” Lamers said to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf . “For me [being on Holland's Next Top Model] is a reward for my transition.”

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