8 Black Women Who Helped Revolutionise the Beauty Industry
8 Black Women Who Have Helped Make the Beauty Industry a More Welcoming, Inclusive Space
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Tracey Norman was the first Black transgender woman to model. At the start of her career, she didn't disclose her identity and was able to work with publications such as Essence, Vogue Italia, and Harper's Bazaar India. In 1975, she appeared on the box of Clairol's Born Beautiful Hair Colour No.512. The shade was one of Clairol's best sellers at the time. In 1980, the truth about her birth gender was discovered by a hairdresser while on a photoshoot. The hairdresser publicly outed her and as a result, companies refused to work with her. After years struggling to find work, Norman became an active figure in the drag ball community.
In 2015, Norman became the subject of a biographical piece written by digital fashion site The Cut. The following year, Clairol signed her up as the face of their 'Nice 'n Easy Color As Real As You Are' campaign. Norman later became one of two openly transgender models to appear on the cover of Harpers Bazaar.
Although her true status remained undetected for some time, it took a lot of courage for Norman to enter the world of modelling, especially at a time when transgender people weren't accepted in society. As attitudes towards the LGBT community have now thankfully changed, the revitalisation of Norman's career was well overdue.