Photography Bjarne Jonasson, Styling Joanne Blades film, Videographer Cooper Naitove
In her first ever UK cover, and most honest interview yet, Hari talks about her childhood, dating men, and why her gender is not the most interesting thing about her.
Having become increasingly successful this year Hari walked for Gucci at Milan Fashion Week, had a role on TV show Transparent, is the new face of cult label Mansur Gavriel, and is signed with one of the fashion industry's biggest agencies, IMG Models (the first trans model to do so). She's also graduated from Columbia University where she studied drama, and is trying to make her way as an actress in New York.
On her body: 'If my body can fall into the background for just a second, maybe people will start listening to what I have to say.'
On aiming for neutrality: 'In an ideal world, I wouldn't have to change my body. I wouldn't have to do all this stuff. I wouldn't have to be pretty, or "feminine" and people would respect that'
On dating straight men: 'At first gay men were all I ever knew how to be attracted to. Now I'm seeing straight men regularly for the first time in my life…I prefer men who are queer. Not gay men, but queer men – guys with an open mind. Bisexual men, because they're able to understand the different elements of the body without judging that I don't conform to a certain ideal.'
Get unprecedented access to the inner workings of the world's best selling magazine as ELLE UK takes you behind the scenes on the making of its redesigned September issue. Featuring Kristen Stewart, Zayn Malik, Amandla Stenberg, Hari Nef and a cast of the coolest, most diverse models of the moment, this game-changing magazine represents the possibilities and power of change.
Read the full issue, and see the shoots, in ELLE UK on sale now.
