27-year-old Aydian Dowling went on a journey five years ago to transition from a woman to a man. Now Dowling is leading the race in the Men’s Health ‘Ultimate Guy’ cover search.
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Bodybuilder and trans activist Aydian Dowling is the current lead in the annual “Ultimate Guy” contest which is held each year by Men’s Health Magazine. If Dowling wins, he will be the first trans male to appear on the magazine’s cover. The contest is open to contestants until June 21 and voting ends in July. The winner will appear on the cover of November’s issue of the magazine.
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USA Today reported April 20, as of Monday afternoon, Dowling had received more than 46,000 votes. That number surpassed any of the other contestants by more than 30,000. In a statement to USA Today, Men’s Health wrote that they were excited that the contest has been resonating with so many different people. “Men's Health is a profound agent of positive change in the lives of all men. We can't wait to see how Aydian finishes with the reader vote—an important piece of the overall criteria in the contest."
There are other factors, however, that will get one contestant the win. Public votes only account for about 10 percent of the overall criteria. Judges base decisions on a number of other factors which include fitness, professional success, healthy lifestyle and how much each participant gives to his community.
Dowling says on his entry page for the contest that giving back is an integral part of his life. He’s a video blogger who collaborates with a group called BeefHeads Fitness, a YouTube channel that is geared towards fitness and health for transgender individuals. His other projects include other groups and social media accounts geared towards similar aims, as well as training programs that empowertransgender males in mental and physical health. It seems that empowering others to be mentally and physically fit is Dowling’s life’s work.
Any photo of Dowling shows that he’s strikingly good looking and absolutely ripped. He told NPR that despite this, he was nervous that there would be some pushback from the magazine. However, Dowling has heard from the magazine and other platforms who have also relayed the magazine’s message that all men are welcome to apply. In fact, Dowling is not alone. A couple of other trans men have also applied for the contest. “I think it’s sending a really positive message to the transgender people out there from Men’s Health. I think it was a great move by them,” said Dowling.
You can keep up with Aydian Ethan Dowling on his Facebook page on his YouTube channel as well as other places on the internet.
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