Victoria's Secret just named Josephine Skriver as the newest Angel.
The 22-year-old Danish model, who re-posted the announcement on her Instagram account, has shared quite a bit about her background and upbringing over the years, including that she has been discriminated against for being born via IVF.
"Angel Jo" was to the camera born having posed as a baby for Pampers in her native Denmark. She has been in major campaigns from Tom Ford to Bulgari and has walked countless runways, but the Angel designation is a dream for any young model.
As her star has risen, she has become an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ community. Several years ago in an interview with Buzzfeed , the model said she hoped to be a voice for children of gay parents.
Skriver was born to a gay, single mom who wanted children. Her mom advertised in a magazine for a gay couple or a gay man who wanted kids. She got five responses. After her mom bonded with the man who would become Skriver's father, Skriver was conceived via IVF.
Danish people are more progressive about these things than Americans are, she says, so she didn't face a lot of challenges growing up. Skriver also has a younger brother who has the same mom and dad.
In a recent story for Huffington post, Skriver shared her wish that she not be viewed as a "synthetic" human being because of the manner in which she was conceived.
"If you are someone who has judged me or anyone else on how we were born and conceived, on how we were brought up, or for any other reason, I am here to say that we feel just like you. We hurt just like you. We love just like you -- and those feelings are not something that can be disregarded as "synthetic," she wrote.
If I could ask for one thing, it would be to look at me as a "who" and not a "what." I would request for everyone to get to know me and to have conversations with me. If you have the time, I would love for you to meet my parents, for I am sure they would brighten your life as I have witnessed them do for so many others."
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