Victoria’s Secret model Josephine Skriver is gorgeous and as “real as anyone.” Josephine is talking a lot about her not-so-secret start in life as an IVF baby and growing up “rainbow.” Skriver’s lesbian mother and gay father met in 1992 when Josephine’s mother placed an ad in a Danish LGBTQ newsletter. Josephine’s mother wanted to have a child.
“I want to bring a kid into this world.”
Josephine’s father responded, and the rest is history!
Some of that history hasn’t been easy for the 22-year-old Skriver. Now that Josephine is a successful Victoria’s Secret model, she’s ready to take on the world to talk about her “unconventional” life. The Skriver family didn’t keep the IVF choice a secret, and though extremely happy at home, Josephine experienced taunts and bullying in school. Now in her modelling career, Skriver has opened herself up to a wide world of bullies. Josephine says social media is the worst for haters.
“Social media is really hard with the hate. It’s the one place where people can say whatever they want with no consequences.”
Things really got crazy after designers Dolce & Gabbana did an interview with Italy’s Panorama magazine. The design team had some harsh things to say on the subject.
“I call children of chemistry, synthetic children. Rented uterus, semen chosen from a catalog.”
Dolce and Gabbana are both gay and were a couple for 23 years before their break-up in 2005, but have always been against gay marriage.
Elton John was furious at the designers and said so on Instagram.
A photo posted by Elton John (@eltonjohn) on
In response to the social media storm, Josephine Skriver decided to write a letter, for Huffington Post , talking about her life. In “Fully Human,” Josephine says , “There is no such thing as a synthetic human.”
“I am a daughter to two beautiful people, who both happen to be gay. I am a sister to a boy who is also human and who has the same capabilities as I do. I am a friend. I am a lover. I am a dreamer. I am certainly many things, but one thing I am not — is synthetic.”
Skriver is now an ambassador for Family Equality Council’s Outspoken Generation Program where she helps with the project’s mandate to give LGBTQ families a chance to tell their stories. Josephine spoke with I-D magazine to share some of her experience of being a rainbow kid, and gave a message of hope to other rainbow kids.
“Be happy and proud of how amazingly courageous your parents are! They did not back down! They have fought hard to have you as part of their lives!”
Do you agree with Josephine Skriver and Elton John, or with Dolce and Gabbana?
[Image via Instagram ]
