I wrote some months back about trans man Aydian Dowling, who was in the running to become the 2015 Men's Health Ultimate Guy, and in doing so would also be the magazine's first transgender "Ultimate Guy."
Today, Dowling shared the news via Facebook that, unfortunately, he didn't win - this time.
As some of you may already know, I did not get the title of 2015 Mens Health Ultimate Guy. Of course I hold feelings of disappointment for what could have been an amazing opportunity for our visibility as a community. The work we have put in the last 6 months was and is still completely relevant to our movement to full Transgender Rights and Equality. I would like to fully congratulate the winner- Tim, and ALL the other guys who shared this amazing journey with me! For their dedication to their communities and for the new family we have created. I would also like to Thank each and every one of the over 72 THOUSAND people who voted a Transman to the Number 1 spot on the Readers Choice List!
Please do remember that this fight for transgender rights, inclusivity, and visibility is not over! Our community, together with our allies, have made a big mark in the minds and hearts of the main stream media. We joined together and showed that we have a voice that is LOUD and PROUD! Let’s continue this fight and together we will all be embraced for our journey to authenticity.
In the end, the crown went to Tim Boniface, a 6-foot-3, 250-pound firefighter and EMT from Kentucky.
Men's Health Editor-In-Chief had this to say about Dowling's finalist status: “Aydian got us thinking about what it means to be a man in 2015. He’s become a leading voice of the transgender community and we feel privileged to share his story and to count him as a member of the Men’s Health family."
The finalists battle it out on the cover of this week's issue:
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