Ines Rau is a French model who made history in 2017 as the first openly transgender woman to be featured as Playboy’s Playmate of the Month. She is also rumored to be dating French soccer star Kylian Mbappe, who is one of the most popular and talented players in the world. But who is Ines Rau, and what was her life like before her operation?
Early Life and Transition
Ines Rau was born in Paris in 1990, and is of Algerian descent. She knew from a young age that she was different from other boys, and felt more comfortable in feminine clothes and accessories. She was bullied and harassed at school for her appearance and behavior, and struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts.
She found inspiration and hope in the story of Caroline “Tula” Cossey, an English model and actress who was outed as transgender after appearing as a Bond girl in the 1981 film For Your Eyes Only. Tula wrote two books about her experience, including I Am a Woman, which Rau read and reread before undergoing gender reassignment surgery at the age of 16.
Rau’s family and friends supported her decision, and she was happy to finally live as her true self. However, she did not come out publicly as transgender until she was 24, fearing rejection and discrimination from society. She told models.com: “I just woke up one day realizing that it’s enough, I need to embrace who I am and be loved for what I am and what I have been through- without the fear of being rejected.”
Modeling Career and Playboy Breakthrough
After turning 18, Rau started dancing for DJs in Ibiza, where she became friends with David Guetta. She also began modeling for various brands and magazines, such as Nicole Miller, Alexis Bittar, Barneys New York, Vogue Italia, and Balmain.
In 2013, she posed nude with Tyson Beckford for a spread in OOB, a French luxury magazine, shortly after coming out as transgender. In 2014, she appeared in Playboy’s “A-Z issue” in a spread titled “Evolution” that aimed to depict the growing acceptance of gender identities beyond the male-female binary. She became the second transgender woman to be featured in Playboy after Tula, who was outed against her will and reappeared in the magazine in 1991.
In 2017, Rau made history as the first openly transgender woman to be featured as Playboy’s Playmate of the Month for the November/December issue. She was chosen by Cooper Hefner, son of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, who likened the choice to his father’s decision to feature Jennifer Jackson as the first African-American Playmate in 1965. Rau was thrilled and honored by the opportunity, and saw it as a way to celebrate her body and identity. She told Playboy: “Nudity means a lot to me, since I went through a transition to get where I want to be. Nudity is a celebration of the human being without all the excess. It’s not about sexuality but the beauty of the human body, whether male or female.”
Rau’s appearance in Playboy was met with mixed reactions, with some praising her for breaking barriers and inspiring others, and some criticizing her for tarnishing the legacy of the magazine and promoting an unnatural lifestyle. Rau responded to the backlash with grace and confidence, saying: “We should collectively be fighting for a more open world, not one that promotes hatred and a lack of acceptance.”
Personal Life and Activism
Rau is currently dating Kylian Mbappe, a French soccer player who plays for Paris Saint-Germain and the France national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world, and has won several awards and trophies, including the FIFA World Cup in 2018. The couple was spotted together in Cannes in May 2022, and have been inseparable ever since.
Rau is also an activist for transgender rights, and has spoken out about her experience and challenges in various media outlets. She appeared on the TF1 news format Sept à Huit in 2016, on an episode focused on her life. She also supports various charities and causes, such as the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation.
Rau’s story is one of courage, resilience, and beauty. She has overcome many obstacles and hardships to achieve her dreams and goals, and has become a role model and icon for many people around the world. She is living proof that being true to yourself is the best way to live.
