Geena Rocero's success as a model and pageant circuit confirmed what she already knew inside: she is beautiful. But, she says, "I could no longer live my truth for and by myself." And so she formally came out as transgender during a moving TED Talk delivered on International Transgender Day of Visibility.

Until only recently, her friends, her colleagues and even her agent were unaware that when she was born she had been assigned "boy." But "I was not born a boy, I was assigned a boy," she explained. "Understanding the difference between the two is crucial to our moving forward in the way we treat—and talk about—transgender individuals."

Rocero grew up in the Philippines, in a culture that is open to gender fluidity. But when she traveled for work, the "M" on her passport—stamped on her at birth—often gave her trouble. In moving to the United States, she was able to change her name and gender-marker on her license to match "her truth." And "For me," she said, "that was my license to live. To feel dignified. All of a sudden my fears were minimized. I felt that I could conquer my dream and move to New York and be a model."

But not everyone is so lucky. And so she's launched Gender Proud, a campaign committed to bringing understanding and and change to the way transgender individuals are treated—socially and politically—around the world. Watch her tell her story in the video below, and visit GenderProud.com for more information.

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