Today we’d like to introduce you to Lana Patel.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
Hi there, I’m Lana Patel. I’m an Indo-Caribbean trans woman from NYC who moved to Polk County, Florida, as a teenager and started her transition at 17. I always knew I was different than the other boys growing up and continuously aligned with the girls I grew up with. I couldn’t understand why our anatomy was different. I came out to the world when I was 12 in an essay for my 8th grade English teacher. For some reason, I just felt compelled to tell this teacher my deepest dark secret. Intuitively, I knew she would be safe, and I was right. She became my most prominent advocate and helped me come out to my mom and family. At 17, I started medically transitioning on black market hormones that I would self-medicate with by observing the hormone regimes of other trans women. That hormone journey took me on the biggest adventure of my life. In 2017, I came out to the world via Instagram and started to talk about my journey. That opened me up to a larger audience, and I built a social media presence. I now have thousands of followers and have been able to do a lot of work for my community over the years while pursuing my dream of becoming a model. I’m still unsigned but hoping that I find the perfect agency soon, and in the meantime, I can bring my community along with me for the journey.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been a hard road; I’ve dealt with tons of rejections, I’ve been jobless, homeless, and have experienced sexual assault, along with harassment over the years, but I still keep my head high and know something better is meant for me.
Thanks – What else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work full-time for a health tech company, but on the side, I’m an artist and creative. I model, sing, dance, and act and have an eye for fashion, hair, and makeup. I worked as a makeup artist for MAC cosmetics for 7 years and am now freelance.
So, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you before we go? How can they support you?
Please visit my social media platforms at LanaPatelxoxo, Lanapatelbeauty, Lana in Luxury, or look up Lana Patel. I’m always open to collaborating, and if you would like to support I have Cashapp and Venmo under my name financially.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Lanapatelxoxo
- Facebook: Lana Patel
- Linkedin: Miliana Singh
- Twitter: Lanapatelxoxo
- Youtube: Lanapatelxoxo
Image Credits
Mani Photography, Stephen Bowman Photography, Saunak photography
