Ines Rau: Breaking Barriers as the First Transgender Playboy Playmate

Ines Rau, a French model of Algerian descent, has been making waves in the fashion industry and beyond.

Born in Paris in 1990, Rau transitioned and underwent gender-affirming surgery at the age of 16, inspired by the life story of English trans model Caroline “Tula” Cossey.

She has since become a prominent figure in the modeling world and an advocate for transgender rights.

Early Life and Career

Ines Rau’s journey to fame began after she turned 18 and started dancing for DJs in Ibiza. It was during this time that she became friends with David Guetta.

At the age of 23, she posed nude with Tyson Beckford for a spread in OOB, a French luxury magazine, shortly after coming out as transgender. This bold move marked the beginning of her modeling career.

Rau’s career took a significant leap when she appeared in Playboy’s “A-Z issue” in a spread titled “Evolution” in May 2014. The spread aimed to depict the growing acceptance of gender identities beyond the male-female binary.

This appearance made her the second transgender woman to be featured in Playboy after Cossey in 1981 and the first who came out voluntarily.

Ines Rau has worked as a model for Nicole Miller, Alexis Bittar, and Barneys New York. She has also appeared in Vogue Italia and in a campaign for Balmain.

Her stunning looks and confident personality have propelled her into fame, and she uses this platform to promote transgender equality.

Also read: Who is Nicola Elizabeth Frost? Look into the Life of Tom Holland’s Mother

Making History with Playboy

In October 2017, Cooper Hefner, son of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, announced that Rau would appear as “Playmate of the Month” in the magazine’s November/December 2017 issue.

This made her the first openly transgender woman to be featured this way. Hefner likened the choice to feature Rau to his father’s decision to feature Jennifer Jackson as the first African-American model to appear in Playboy as a Playmate in 1965.

You might also like: Is Jake Gyllenhaal Gay? A Deep Dive into the Hollywood Star’s Personal Life

Activism and Advocacy

Following her coming-out, Rau became more active campaigning for transgender rights. She has appeared on the TF1 news format Sept à Huit on an episode focused on her life.

Rau is an inspirational woman who is proving she can succeed both professionally and personally. She serves as a role model to women who take risks to pursue their goals, with an optimistic and self-love-based outlook.

Also, read: Lady Gaga’s Charity Work: More than Just a Pop Star

Personal Life

Ines Rau has recently confirmed her relationship with Staiv Nation, another model. They frequently post photos together on social media and share many mutual friends. Rau can often be seen smiling broadly in her latest Instagram photos, leaving fans delighted.

In recent times, Rau has also been linked with PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe. They were seen together at the Cannes Film Festival and later aboard a yacht. While they have not spoken out about their relationship publicly yet, both seem happy together.

Table of Information about Ines Rau

Name	Ines Rau
Birth Year	1990
Birth Place	Paris, France
Nationality	French
Ethnicity	Algerian
Profession	Model
Known For	First openly transgender Playboy Playmate
Activism	Transgender rights advocate
Relationship Status	In a relationship with Staiv Nation

FAQs