Model, presenter and writer Paris Lees may have chalked up yet another career first with a starring role in a mainstream TV advert - but the trans activist says the milestone is bigger than her.
The Hucknall-born Vogue columnist, who was named one of the UK's most influential women by the style bible, features alongside Katie Piper and Ramla Ali in the new Pantene Grow Strong commercial.
Sharing the campaign on both her Instagram and Twitter pages, Paris said her appearance was "new territory" for the LGBTQ+ community owing to the fact the ad doesn't centre around her being trans.
Expressing her pride in the short video, in which she says "the power of hair isn't just how it looks, it's how it makes you feel", the former Holgate Academy student said the commercial was "culturally significant".
Paris was the first openly trans person to appear on BBC Question Time and in Vogue magazine, where she's since been given a column and she's got a book in the pipeline too.
Nearly 3,000 people have liked the post across Paris' social media accounts.
Read Paris Lees' full statement here:
I am so proud to share my first TV advert with Pantene UK, have you seen it yet?
I know it can be cringey when people blow their own trumpet, but the fact is, if this were someone else from our community appearing in a mainstream commercial that doesn’t centre around them being trans, I would absolutely be talking about how culturally significant this is.
This is new territory for us! Many trans people grow up feeling excluded and ashamed — well today I feel included and proud! I hope you can all celebrate this moment with me because it’s bigger than me, it’s about all of as a community stepping out of the shadows and being part of life.
Thank you Pantene, and thank you for putting me with such amazing women.
Hair is more than just hair, it’s part of my identify and my relationship with my hair has never been stronger thanks to Pantene.
