Androgynous male model Andrej Pejic has had gender reassignment surgery and now goes by the name Andreja.The Serbian-born beauty, who wowed the catwalks appearing in women's fashion shows a few seasons ago, thanked fans for their support on her Facebook page.
"You've all helped me through this journey", said Andreja, adding that she was "overwhelmed" by the positive response to the news. "I like to think that my recent transition hasn't made me into a different individual. Same person, no difference at all just a different sex I hope you can all understand that. "The 22-year-old said she has decided to share her story because of her "social responsiblity" and her desire to send a message to other "young gender non-conforming youth".She told them: "I know it's hard, I've been there, but remember it's your right to be accepted as what you identify with. You deserve the same respect as any other human being on this planet."
Andreja always dreamed of being a girl, enjoying playing with dolls and dressing up in her mother's clothes pretending to be a ballerina. However, when her family moved to Australia in 2001, she tried her best to fit. "I kept my dreams and my imagination to myself and became pretty good at acting as a boy. But I was hiding who I was," she told People.Her modelling career, which took off when she was 17, gave her financial stability and the chance to travel the world. She was booked for both men and women's shows.
Andreja has modelled in both men and women's runway shows in the past
"A very special moment" came in 2011 when Andreja was picked to walk as a bride for Jean Paul Gaultier.Then a year-and-a-half ago, she finally plucked up the courage to approach doctors about sex assignment surgery. She took three months to recover from the process.Currently single, the blonde now describes herself as "open to love" and "more comfortable than ever". She adds: "I feel at a 100 percent."