Lifestyle
Rodrigo Alves, who is more commonly known as the Human Ken Doll, has become famous for his extreme appearance and multiple cosmetic procedures. The 34-year-old from Brazil has become a reality TV star, with people being divided on their appearance. Of course, given the nature of their look, there are those who think that Rodrigo is simply vain and attention seeking, while others believe that it's their body and they should do what they please with it.
Speaking about their decision to alter their appearance to such an extent, Alves said that it was bullying in their hometown in Brazil that led to them deciding to become the Human Ken Doll.
Visiting their homeland, they said: "I used to be very much bullied when growing up in Brazil because I was fat, ugly and misshapen and I never fit in into the Brazilian beauty stereotype.
"It felt emotional when I landed here," they continued. "It is my home country and I have a lot of memories from here. The bad memories are that I used to be very much bullied and abused by the boys and school."
"[The bullying] made me stronger and wiser leading me to want to reinvent myself with the help of plastic surgery."
"The bullying would leave me with marks and bruises which made me a stronger person.
"All that I could do growing up was to study and today I have a very good degree and also I speak 5 languages fluently."
Since rising to fame, Rodrigo has announced that they are gender fluid, expanding their fluidity during a recent trip to Russia.
"Russia is a very conservative country still and I come as a bit of a shock with my looks and personality to them all. When I was asked if I had a girlfriend I said "no" and that I was gender fluid and bisexual.
"It is illegal to say that one is gay [in Russia] so when I said that I was gender fluid on TV they just couldn’t get their heads around it because they have never heard of such a term."
However, while Rodrigo may be trying to use their platform to spread a message of awareness and acceptance, the same cannot be said for their father. According to reports, Rodrigo's billionaire father has said that he will disown his child if they carry on dressing like a woman.
Credit: Instagram/Rodrigo Alves
It comes as rumours have begun to circulate that Rodrigo will be undergoing a sex change. The star was spotted wearing a skirt, heels, crop top and a wig, with Rodrigo saying it's part of his new alter-ego, Jessica.
"It felt good to be someone else rather than the Rodrigo Alves aka Ken Doll," they said.
"I got a lot of attention when I go out as me but this time I was able to be neutral and just enjoy myself as Jessica Alves."
"People's physical gender defines how society expects them to dress and behave, as well as what they are supposed to be interested in."
Credit: Instagram/Rodrigo Alves
"When I was a boy my long gone granddad used to buy me Barbie dolls to play with and I used to love wearing granny panties and dresses. People shouldn't be forced to identify as a particular gender."
They added: "They should be able to express themselves in ways that reject labels and gender stereotypes. I'm a huge supporter of gender equality and the new trend gender fluid - I regard myself as a gender fluid person.
"I wear make-up and a corset which are made for the female, but I would like to change that and launch a new trend for the man. Wearing a corset under a blazer looks very elegant and helps with one's posture."
While Rodrigo's dad may not agree with his son's decisions, it seems harsh to disown them due to their surgeries. At the end of the day, Rodrigo's body is Rodrigo's body - they should be allowed to do what they want with it.