Playboy has selected its first Playmate of the Month since the death of its founder, Hugh Hefner. In keeping with its groundbreaking roots, the editors of the prestigious men’s magazine have selected Ines Rau, a Parisian model who also happens to be transgender.

“I lived a long time without saying I was transgender,” Ines says in an extensive interview for the November/December edition of the magazine. She recounts a long period of her life where she denied that part of her history, but in recent years has started to celebrate her sexuality in the hopes that others will follow her path.

“I dated a lot and almost forgot. I was scared of never finding a boyfriend and being seen as weird. Then I was like, You know, you should just be who you are. It’s a salvation to speak the truth about yourself, whether it’s your gender, sexuality, whatever. The people who reject you aren’t worth it. It’s not about being loved by others; it’s about loving yourself.”

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This isn’t the first time Rau has been featured in the prestigious publication. She actually appeared in the May 2014 issue as well, being featured for Playboy’s A-Z section entitled “Evolution”. “It’s how I celebrated my coming out, actually,” Ines reveals in the interview. “I took that chance, and then I signed with an agency.”

Since then she’s gone on to star in ad campaigns for Balmain Fashion and Hood by Air, as well as appearing in an edition of Vogue Italia. But she’s not stopping at just modeling - she has her sights set much higher.

“I just signed a book deal, and I just shot a film. I really want to be an action star!”

Read her background and you get the sense she could really pull off action movies. She’s an avid martial arts enthusiast, with experience in boxing, kickboxing, Thai boxing, and all of it “full contact’. She could easily pull off the leather-clad “international assassin” look, with her Parisian accent only adding to the sale.

Rau’s rising fame hasn’t gone to her head though, as she admits the real drive to the top is to help. “Being famous can get you a lot of love, and I need a lot of love, so I’m not going to say I don’t care about fame. I’m seeking to help people, and you can do a lot of good if you’re famous.”

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Of course, LGBTQ issues will always be at the forefront, but her biggest goal is to become an environmental activist. “Above everything else, my cause is the environment,” Ines says. “Nothing touches me more than fighting against global warming. I was made to fight for the planet—the forest, the animals, the air. If I get famous, that’s my first battle.”

Rau will appear in the November/December special edition copy of Playboy which pays tribute to the life of Hugh Hefner, the man that started the men’s lifestyle magazine from his kitchen table back in 1953. The issue is the first time a solo man has graced the cover of Playboy.