Blaire knew who she was from an early age…

Blaire Wozniak grew up in rural Georgia with an insatiable love for miniskirts. Her grandmother would make them from the Dollar Store - just a piece of fabric sewn together with not even a zipper or cinch. Just a beloved garment for her to wiggle into and saunter around in. Wozniak came out as trans when she was in middle school. Besides the play with mini skirts, she didn’t pay much attention to fashion as a kid. Now, 21-year-old Wozniak lives in New York City as a full-time model and creative.

When asked what style means to Wozniak, she said when she was younger, style was focused on flattering her body type. She was the only trans person in her town, let alone a significant radius in rural Georgia. Feeling the need to hide, fashion was one of the many tools Blaire picked up to wield as a shield. Leaning on cuts and silhouettes that made her feel most comfortable, she began experimenting with her style. Notably, the first outfit that Wozniak wore that felt like herself were skinny jeans from American Eagle paired with a cropped grey off the shoulder sweater. It was the first outfit where she she looked in the mirror and thought, ‘this is me’.

The journey to creating her personal style was strange according to Wozniak. She started transitioning when she was 14 and described herself as ‘not attractive in the least’. A few years into her transition, she was encouraged to start modeling. Wozniak took digitals in her backyard and sent to various agencies. To her surprise, they signed her.

Now, living in Manhattan as a freelance model, Blaire spends time fostering relationships with small designers and collecting vintage items whenever possible. Focused on sustainability, she doesn’t own any clothes that were purchased brand new. Her favorite article of clothing at the moment is a 2004 Galliano Dior tank top that says ‘DOLL’ across the chest. She of course, pairs this with a Mui Mui mini skirt. Recently, she’s found herself gravitating towards a full white monochrome fit including a white bag and white fur coat. In the future, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Blaire running her own vintage store in NYC with affordable prices.

This month’s editorial, The Queers Will Not Disappear, was shot at the historic Stonewall National Monument in the West Village of Manhattan. June 28th, 2025 marks 56 years since the Stonewall Riots and the protest that shifted the nation. Working with all trans models, we aimed to discuss the dichotomy of being in a place where society should be ever evolving and growing in diversity and acceptance – yet with the political climate it feels as though queer people are being shoved back in time. Stuck in a half-ready state, curlers still in, using a landline phone in a world of fast-pace technology, and getting news from printed newspapers.

A few years prior, it felt like the world was so close to acceptance of the trans community. Gogo Graham debuted an all trans femme runway show in 2015, Slay Models Management was changing the playing field by representing only trans models, and Hunter Schafer was walking the runways of Miu Miu, Dior, and Marc Jacobs. After such high moments of inclusivity, logic would suggest that ten years later acceptance should be abounding for the trans community. Medically, we’ve progressed as society to new heights of gender-affirming care – most notably showing impact to trans youth mental health through lowering of suicide rates.

The only ‘trickle down’ this country has effectively seen is the hatred that has been passed from corrupt public servants stroking the flames with their mobs of red voters. Anti-trans legislation is at an all time high, and the Supreme Court upheld Tennesee’s ban on gender affirming care for minors. Does the onslaught of outright hatred have the trans community stuck in limbo where they should be free to express who they are to the fullest extent, however that may be? Has the United States forgotten what it is to coexist with people different from them amidst the alt right pipeline?

Blaire Wozniak says it’s a terrifying time to be alive.

Wozniak shares that in her own timeline, she transitioned so long ago that she doesn’t remember what it was to be a boy. She shared how anxious she felt using a public restroom on her last visit home, mentally noting the strangeness of the moment. When she was 14 she was wearing a wig from Amazon and had no second thoughts on using the gender affirming restroom. Even walking down the streets in New York City she is verbally harassed every day. Wozniak is managing herself by taking it day by day, and continually affirming that her transness and identity can never be taken from her.

“Being trans doesn’t feel like bravery. It feels like survival. There is no other option…even if trans people become illegal, we’ll find a way. We’ve always been here.”

Wozniak says that her fellow trans siblings should be proud of how rare they are. She emphasized that when you find people who see being trans as your superpower, it’s special. Wozniak urges them to find where they belong – don’t wait to have the surgery to enjoy living your life.

Wozniak ended our conversation with this: be present and be seen.

“The people in Little Rock, Arkansas need to see trans people living their lives…and not being what the media needs them to be. Get a gatorade at the QuikTrip gas station! You need to be seen.”

Being trans isn’t brave. It’s survival. It’s what made Wozniak’s life worth living again.

Resources for Supporting the Trans Community:

Trans Lifeline - Radical Community Care

A4TE - Advocates for Trans Equality

The Trevor Project: Queer Resources

The Trevor Project: Guide to Being an Ally

Editorial Credits:

Creative Direction: Yesenia Follingstad

Photographer: @discoqweenie

Photo Assist: @kylentookthese, @kaberionn

Styling Team: @yeseniafollingstad, @montgomeriewest, @pollywo.g, @selenaaiyla

Models: @irisdelany, @itstiky, @axel.johnke, @they.agenda, @pollywo.g