Indya Moore is the Inspiration All Young LGBTQ People Need

Black History Month Celebration, Part One

At the young age of 14, Indya Moore moved out of her parents’ home in the Bronx due to transphobia.

“My [birth] parents loved me dearly, but we were having issues with my identity being [recognized at home],” says Moore. “They thought I was essentially in harm’s way because of the way I existed.” — Indya Moore, in her interview with Christian Gollayan for The New York Post

She knew she wasn’t a man from the very beginning, even if her body didn’t agree.

“Toddlerhood,” she says, “I just knew I was the farthest thing from a man. I’ve known that my whole life.” — Indya Moore, in her interview with Allison P. Davis for The Cut

She entered foster care and was shuffled around constantly. On top of that, young Indya was relentlessly bullied and eventually dropped out of high school during her sophomore year.

However, she did not let these horrific experiences deter her from her dreams. She began modeling at the age of 15. She got her foot in the door modeling for both Dior and Gucci, despite the horrendous way the fashion industry usually treats transgender women models.