The first deaf contestant on America's Next Top Model. Nyle DiMarco: “My victory is further proof that deaf people can do anything! Season 22 Niall

They are different - different ages (the eldest of them is 82 years old), men and women, actors, athletes, politicians - but they all have one thing in common: in 2015 they “came out of the closet” and became role models and a source of inspiration for many homosexuals, who cannot yet understand themselves or live in fear that others will find out about their orientation.

The GayStarNews portal, summing up the results of 2015, offers to take another look at those whose courage made the year the most “LGBTI-visible”.

1. Caitlyn Jenner (Olympian/TV star)

“If I had kept all this a secret and not confessed my feelings to anyone, then, lying on my deathbed, I would have said to myself: “You just went and wasted your whole life. You’ve never tried to figure yourself out,’ and I don’t want that to happen,” Caitlyn said in an interview with Vanity Fair.

The brave Olympian became perhaps one of the most famous transgender women in the world after this interview. Her transgender transition was the subject of an 8-part documentary, “I Am Cait,” on E!. Jenner received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPY Awards in July.

Miley Cyrus came out as pansexual in June.

“I'm literally open to anything that's consent-based and doesn't involve animals, and for any age,” she told Paper magazine. – I am open to everything that is legal. I can be with anyone who is over 18 years old and loves me. I don’t associate myself only with a boy or a girl, and I also don’t need my partner to be only a boy or a girl.”

3. Keegan Hurst (rugby player) (pictured left)

Keegan Hurst came out in August, becoming the first openly gay player in British professional rugby league.

“At first it didn’t fit in my head. I couldn't even admit to myself that I was gay. Now it’s like I’ve taken a breath of fresh air after holding my breath for a long time,” he told the Sunday Mirror.

“I have a wife and children. At one time I was a builder, a doorman, and worked in factories. Now I play rugby. Each of these stories is about a macho man. How can I be gay? I'm from the Batley Bulldogs. There’s not a single gay person there.”

4. Sam Stanley (rugby union player) (pictured left)

Another rugby player came out in September. Sam Stanley became the first openly gay player in the British professional rugby union league. In addition, he talked about dating an older man.

“I remember standing on the bridge and just wondering whether to jump or not, but now, looking back, I don’t see what could have been done about it,” he said. “I was so depressed about this, I thought that if I spoke about myself, I would be ostracized from everywhere and hated by everyone, so why not let these feelings of loneliness, anger and pain disappear in this way, getting rid of all the pain in the blink of an eye.”

“Looking back, it's a stupid decision, but at the same time I realize that there are people who are making this move, and if I can stop them or help people avoid it, then I'll feel great.”

5. David Denson (baseball player)

David Denson is the first Major League Baseball (MLB) player to come out.

“Talking to my teammates gave me the confidence I needed to tell them about myself,” Denson said in an interview. “They said, ‘You are still our comrade. You are still our brother. We had a guess, but your sexuality has no bearing on your abilities. You are still a professional athlete for the rest of your life. We didn't treat you any differently. We support you."

6. Ramona Bachman (soccer player)

Swiss soccer star Ramona Bachmann came out shortly after her team beat Ecuador 10-1 in the Women's World Cup in Canada and revealed her relationship with student Camilla Lara.

She said: “When I walk down the street in Switzerland holding Camilla's hand, people turn around. In Sweden they don’t pay attention to it, just like here in Canada.”

7. Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart's mother revealed her daughter's sexuality in June, saying she accepted that her daughter loves both men and women.

After this, in August, Kristen herself said: “Search for information about my sexuality on Google, I’m not hiding. If someone needs to decide on their sexuality and then conform to those parameters, then let them do so.

I think that in three or four years, no one will care at all about who is gay and who is not. People will just live the way they want.”

8. Lily-Rose Depp (daughter of Johnny Depp)

Johnny Depp's daughter came out by posing for the Self Evident Project, “a photographic document confirming that 10,000 Americans do not consider themselves 100% heterosexual.”

Project founder, photographer and gay activist Io Tillett Wright said: “I'm delighted to welcome her to the family. She is small but a very good person.”

9. Jonathan Rachel Clinch (TV journalist)

Jonathan Clinch, an Irish television reporter, came out as gender fluid in September. He said he sometimes identifies as a man, sometimes as a woman, and will henceforth perform as Jonathan Rachel Clinch.

“[We] as an employer and broadcaster value the uniqueness of each individual and promote diversity and equality,” RTÉ said.

“We stand 100% behind Jonathan Rachel, who is a valued contributor and respected journalist.”

10. Leo Varadkar (Minister of Health)

Leo Varadkar has become the first openly gay Irish cabinet minister. He came out to support same-sex marriage in the referendum that took place in Ireland in May.

“It's not something that defines me. I'm not a half-Indian politician, or a doctor politician, or a gay politician,” he told RTÉ.

“It's just part of me, it doesn't define me, it's just part of my character I guess.”

11. Jess Glynne (singer)

Jess Glynne is one of the most successful British solo artists, with 5 number one singles in the UK. She came out as bisexual in May, saying she was still recovering from her breakup.

“This was the first girl I fell in love with. I never told anyone about this. This relationship was new to me,” she told ES magazine.

“I don’t know what I want – to be with a guy, a girl, someone. I’m very happy with just doing it and seeing where it takes me.”

12. Matt Cage (wrestler)

Professional wrestler “Money” Matt Cage came out, apologizing to all women.

“Sorry, lady. I'm officially leaving the market. Don’t hate me too much,” he wrote on his Facebook page.

“I actually have nothing to hide anymore. I spent most of my life lying, hiding, and being depressed because I felt like I couldn't be who I wanted to be and live freely the way I liked. I had to act, I wasn't myself. I, and no one else, had to do it.”

13. Adam Rippon (skater)

American figure skater Adam Rippon came out as gay at the age of 25.

“I want to be an example that is recognizable,” he said in an interview with the official magazine of US Figure Skating.

“And I want to say something to the father who may be worried about his son being a figure skater. Look at me, I'm just a regular kid from a small town in Pennsylvania. Nothing changed. I just want to be a good role model. I've always been honest with myself. I worked really hard and loved what I did.”

14. Cara Delevingne (top model and actress)

Cara Delevingne is one of the world's most famous British supermodels. She came out with the help of Vogue magazine.

“It took me a long time to accept the idea until I had my first crush on a girl in my 20s and realized I had to accept it,” she said.

“I think my love for my lady [singer Annie Clark (St. Vincent)] is the reason I'm so happy to be who I am these days. And these words that came out of my mouth are actually a miracle.”

15. Jussie Smollett (actor)

Jussie Smollett, who plays gay singer Jamal on Empire, came out as gay during an interview with Ellen DeGeneres.

“I say that I don't talk about my personal life. But it's not because I'm trying to hide or deny who God created me to be. You know?" - he said.

“My mom knows. My mom loves me very much,” Smollett added. “And yes, I take her with me every year to sing together on The Sound of Music.”

16. Joel Gray (actor)

Actor Joel Gray came out as gay at the age of 82.

Gray, the father of actress Jennifer Grey, who has been married to actress Jo Wilder for 24 years, said he now feels comfortable that everyone knows he is gay.

“I don’t like labels,” he told People magazine. “But if you want to hang them, then I’m gay.”

17. Patricia Velasquez (model and actress)

The first Latin American supermodel, Patricia Velasquez, admitted her homosexual orientation, ceasing to hide this long-standing secret.

“The response and support has been phenomenal,” Velazquez told GayStarNews. “No Spanish woman like me has ever said, “Yes, I’m homosexual.”

“I have a wonderful career and I have fought for a lot, and someone wrote after my book came out that my book and my coming out are perhaps my greatest contributions to humanity.”

18. Krzysztof Olaf Haramsa (priest)

Shortly before the Synod, which brought more than 300 hierarchs of the Catholic Church to the Vatican to discuss issues related to sexuality, Polish priest Krzysztof Haramsa came out and was immediately stripped of all positions in the Catholic Church.

“It is time for the Church to open its eyes and understand that it is inhumane to suggest complete abstinence from love to gay believers,” he told Italian publication Corriere della Sera, adding that he wanted to challenge the Church’s “paranoia.”

“I know that I will have to give up the ministry to which I have dedicated my entire life,” he added.

19. Stein Eric Hagen (billionaire)

Norwegian billionaire Stein Erik Hagen has become the richest openly gay man in the world.

His fortune is estimated at $4.3 billion.

Revealing his sexuality during an interview with NRK, he said: “I realized that I was gay in adulthood. When I was 20, we didn't know what it was. We heard about it, but none of us identified ourselves with homosexuals.”

20. Nyle DiMarco (model)

The “America’s Next Top Model” contestant came out during the final episodes of the season.

When asked who he pays more attention to - girls or guys, the first deaf participant in the history of the project replied: “I’m mobile.”

21. Jill Soloway (creator of Transparent)

In December, Jill Soloway revealed that she lives separately from her husband and is now dating poet Eileen Myles.

According to the New Yorker, Soloway met Miles after her writers created the series' new character, a poet.

The writers even gave Soloway a diary that Miles wrote.

“I opened it and the first thing I read was, 'Anyone who falls in love with me gets in trouble.' It was as if she wrote about me without even knowing I existed.”

22. Gus Kenworthy (freestyle skier, bronze medalist at the Sochi Olympics)

Gus Kenworthy came out as gay in October.

Gus Kenworthy, three-time world champion and arguably the best freestyler in the world, came out on the cover of ESPN.

He said that he knew about himself that he was gay from the age of five, but felt enormous pressure because of it.

“In skiing, you have to be this alpha male who thinks about how to get hot chicks,” he said. -I know dating hot girls isn't the worst thing in the world, but I literally cried after sleeping with girls. I was thinking something like, “What am I doing? I don't understand what I'm doing."

“He’s so hot!” said one of the members of the “America’s Next Top Model” jury at the debut fashion show of the 22nd season of the show. Indeed, a tall, muscular, dark-haired guy immediately attracts attention. But it focuses not on the tanned, pumped up torso, but on the blue eyes, which serve as Niall’s main means of communicating with people.

“Tyra found me on Instagram (@nyledimarco) and invited me to take part in the casting,” the model said in a competitive interview. “She didn’t even suspect that I was deaf!” It’s true that at first it’s very difficult to believe in Niall’s physical imperfection, but DiMarco himself does not consider his lack of hearing a flaw: “I was born into a hearing-impaired family and have been part of the deaf-mute community all my life. For myself, I’m a completely ordinary person, just damn attractive.”

Before being selected to join the main cast of ANTM, Niall had almost no experience in the modeling industry. During the project, he had to learn how to interact with the creative team, which already noted the talent of the fashion model at the first photo shoot. “It’s amazing: he doesn’t hear, but he listens to me,” shared the show’s lead photographer Yu Tsai. “Niall reads my facial expression and gives the desired result.” Deafness for the guy became a kind of advantage in the pursuit of the title “America's Next Top Model”: while rivals wasted energy on quarrels and gossip, Niall focused it on body language and emotions. Receiving high scores on tests time after time, he ceased to be invisible and turned into a serious competitor, whose photographs spoke much louder than words.

Niall turned his only problem - the lack of participation of hearing people in communication with the deaf - into a kind of startup, which he promoted throughout the entire project. “There are an incredible number of people in the world with the same physical disability as me. And we would really appreciate it if society learned at least a few simple non-verbal phrases,” he shared. Approaching the finals, Niall presented an application that teaches Americans sign language, and after winning “ANTM” as the first hearing-impaired supermodel, he became a creative employee and the face of the company “The ASL,” aimed at promoting deaf culture to the masses.

“I won not for the sake of fame, but for the sake of influence,” DiMarco insisted, “and, of course, for the sake of my mother, who raised me alone all my life...” Mom, by the way, not only supported Niall behind the scenes of the project, but took part in it direct participation, starring with my son in one of the final photo shoots. The touching relationship of a hearing-impaired family made hundreds of thousands of ANTM fans shed tears, who sincerely worried about the model and secretly dreamed of going on a date with him. “Girls, boys, moms and dads want Niall,” said another finalist of the show, Lacey Rogers. – He is charming, funny and sexy. And most importantly, the way he is.”

After ANTM, DiMarco did not disappear from the radar, like some winners of previous seasons of the show, but continued to develop himself in modeling and go towards his main dream - the Dolce & Gabbana men's campaign. He has posed for Attitude, Nylon, Buzzfeed, The Washington Post and People and signed a contract with modeling industry giant Wilhelmina Models. At the same time, he continued to teach people sign language and was actively involved in promoting “The ASL”, and when Niall decided to take part in the show “Dancing with the Stars”, the audience cheered him exclusively on Amslen.

The dance project became another place where a guy with additional needs from birth was able to prove his limitless capabilities. Under the guidance of his partner Peta Margatroyd, he mastered tango, rumba and cha-cha-cha, did backflips and complex lifts, and also amazed the audience with his inexhaustible positivity and desire to break stereotypes. At one stage of the show, Niall was deprived of another sense organ by asking him to dance with his eyes closed, and this performance, despite its not entirely technical execution, became one of the most emotional and powerful numbers in the entire history of Dancing with the Stars.

For the sake of the treasured discus thrower for the entire deaf-mute community, Nyle DiMarco jumped above his head and left no doubt that the laurels of the winner of the two most popular programs in America went to him for a reason. “You know, I love my deafness and am grateful for it. She helped me prove to myself and society that nothing is impossible in the world. It is only important to accept your shortcomings and understand that they are the ones who open the doors of the Universe..."

The 22nd cycle of the show premiered last week. 26-year-old contestant Nyle DiMarco from New York immediately attracted attention. And not only for his memorable appearance, but also for the fact that he is the first deaf contestant in the history of the program.

A graduate of The Gallaudet University, having received a degree in mathematics from the only university in the world for the deaf, Neil decided to further develop his career in show business.

It is reported that Neil’s friend, an aspiring film director, happened to do his first photo and video tests several years ago, then it happened completely by accident, but that’s how DiMarco got into the modeling world.

While studying at the university, Neil took his first steps in show business. Neil eventually received an offer from America's Next Top Model this summer.

In his YouTube blog, he says he was stunned and inspired. The nuance is that at the same time Neil DiMarco received an offer for a permanent role in the American television series “They were Switched at Maternity Hospital.”

He had to choose. Both of these offers come once in a lifetime. After talking with friends and family and weighing the pros and cons, Neil was still undecided. The puppy Foxy helped him with his choice. He threw the dog two tennis balls with the words SAB ("They were mixed up at the hospital") and ANTM ("America's Next Top Model"). Foxy chose ANTM. The fate was sealed.

Well, we'll keep an eye on Neil's progress.

Nyle DiMarco is an American actor and model, and the latest winner of the popular show America's Next Top Model Season 22. He is a truly amazing person who proves to the whole world that, despite any shortcomings, you can live a full life and even compete with healthy people. Niall has become a real inspiration for many people who lack self-confidence and showed that only self-confidence can truly reveal talent and lead to victory.

Childhood

The favorite of the unsurpassed Tyra Banks was born on May 8, 1989 in Queens, New York, USA. It was clear from the very beginning that the boy would be born deaf, since several generations of his relatives are hard of hearing. Despite their disadvantage, his family was always friendly and distinguished by a special attitude towards life. Niall is not the only child in the family; he has an older brother, Neil, and a twin, Nico, who has red hair and is completely different from his brother.

Thanks to his close-knit family, the guy has not lost his optimism in life and considers deafness not a flaw, but his peculiarity. He spent his entire childhood in Frederick, Maryland, where he attended a school for children with hearing problems. After receiving secondary education, he successfully entered Gallaudet University in Washington, to study mathematics. The university also specializes in teaching hard of hearing and deaf people. After graduating from university, Niall became not only a specialist in the field of mathematics, but also has the opportunity to teach it in educational institutions.

The guy considers Amslen, American Sign Language, his native language. In addition, Niall is a creative employee and the face of The ASL application, with the help of which he tries to promote sign language to the masses. To find a common language not only with deaf people, but also with healthy people, he learned to read lips and mastered nonverbal communication.

The path to America's Next Top Model

• Height– 188 cm;
• Weight– 84 kg;

When the show's representatives found Niall on Instagram and invited him to try out for America's Next Top Model, they had no idea that he was deaf. However, this feature of his did not in the least prevent him from showing his best side. On the contrary, seeing the tense atmosphere in the model house, the guy repeatedly said:

“I'm glad I don't have to listen to all this drama.”

From the very beginning, many participants did not perceive Niall as a potential winner, and therefore did not see him as a competitor at all. They believed that despite his excellent appearance, his deafness would prevent him from working properly at photo shoots and catwalks. However, Niall managed to find a common language with the photographer, and established himself as a talented and motivated model.

Although he can read lips, he sometimes had help from his personal translator, Ramon. He translated the advice of jury members during judging and the conditions of some competitions to the model. Initially, Niall was unable to reach his full potential; he held back all his energy, preventing it from getting out. However, closer to the middle of season 22, he finally managed to truly reveal himself and take his first best photo.

From that moment on, Niall became one of the main competitors for the participants. At every photo shoot, he proved that he was worthy of victory, and his photos became the best twice more, according to. In one of the episodes, the participants together filmed a music video for the song “BOOTYful”, where, unlike many participants, despite being deaf, DiMarco managed not only to get into music that he had not heard, but also to do it incredibly beautifully and professionally.

In the 15th episode of America's Next Top Model, Miss announced that for the first time in the history of the project, deaf participant Nyle DiMarco became the winner.

Actor career

In addition to his modeling career, the guy managed to try himself as an actor. He appeared in the TV series “They were Mixed Up at the Maternity Hospital.” Niall admitted that the offer to take part in “TMPA” and filming the series came almost identically. It was very difficult for him to make a choice, so he took the help of his dog by writing the name of the projects on the balls. The dog preferred a ball with the inscription: “America's Next Top Model.” However, a little time later, he finally decided to try his hand at the film set.

Modeling career after the show

At the end of the project, Niall’s modeling career is in full swing. He received a huge number of invitations to photo shoots and fashion shows. The model has already starred for the brands Adamist, EPONYMOVS BY HVRMINN, Stark Magazine, Out Magazine Online, Jute, and performed at the 2(X)IST show. We can say with confidence that this is only the beginning of his modeling career and very soon his main dream will come true - collaboration with Dolce&Gabbana.

Personal life

At the moment, Nyle DiMarco is completely immersed in the modeling business. He believes that he needs to devote as much time as possible to his soulmate, and due to constant travel, he cannot yet afford this.

Nyle DiMarco on Instagram: @nyledimarco

Nyle DiMarco (Nyle DiMarco) was born May 8, 1989 in Queens, New York, USA. The boy was born deaf. Several generations of his relatives are hearing impaired. Niall has an older brother, Neil, and a twin, Nico, although Nico has red hair and looks nothing like his brother.

Childhood Nyle DiMarco spent in Frederick, Maryland, where he attended a school for children with hearing problems. After receiving secondary education, he entered Gallaudet University in Washington to study mathematics. The university also specializes in teaching hard of hearing and deaf people.

In your native language Niall says Amslen - American Sign Language. Niall is a creative collaborator and the face of The ASL app, through which he tries to promote sign language to the masses.

In addition to his modeling career, the guy managed to try himself as an actor. He appeared in the series “They were mixed up in the maternity hospital.” Niall admitted that the offer to take part in “TMPA 22” and filming the series came almost the same way.

Nyle DiMarco on America's Next Top Model Season 22

On the show “America's Next Top Model Season 22” Nyla DiMarco from the very beginning, many did not perceive it as a competitor. They believed that, despite his excellent appearance, deafness would prevent the guy from working normally at photo shoots and catwalks. However, Niall managed to establish himself as a talented and purposeful model.

Although he can read lips, he sometimes had help from a personal translator during the project. Ramon. He translated for Niall advice from jury members during judging and the conditions of some competitions.

Photo Nyla DiMarco became the best twice. In one of the episodes, the participants filmed a music video for the song “BOOTYful” with Tyra Banks. Unlike many participants, DiMarco managed not only to get into music that he had not heard, but also to do it incredibly professionally.

At the end of the project, Niall’s modeling career is in full swing. He received a huge number of invitations to photo shoots and fashion shows.