Alex Consani: ‘We were given a platform to speak, why not take it?’

This story is taken from the autumn 2025 issue of Dazed, which is on sale internationally from September 11. Pre-order a copy here.

As I prepare to meet Alex Consani and Vivian Wilson, I worry I’ll seem like Barbara Walters interviewing the Kardashians. I don’t mean this in a haughty way, only that, at 31 years of age, I feel like a relic compared to them: two young women savvy in commanding a digital landscape in which I am often a spectator.

Across several platforms, the algorithm delivers me a regular shipment of Alex and Vivian videos. In one, Consani–the outspoken TikTok star and one-time youngest transgender model in the world–screams the opening to Where Have You Been by Rihanna. (One of the top comments reads, “thought she was singing the Dune soundtrack”.) In another, Wilson–a former tech-industry scion who’s become a totemic figure of resistance in Trump’s America–reveals that she found out she had a half-brother through RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Yet both women are much more complex than the light-hearted absurdity of their online personas. Many of us have experienced a collective paralysis in response to world events, from the genocide in Gaza to other assaults on human rights–a mounting sense of dread which forces us into retreat, rather than energising us towards effective action. Wilson and Consani are not victims of that paralysis; listening to them speak leaves me more hopeful than I’d expected.

At 21, both Consani and Wilson are obvious role models for a new generation of queer and trans youth. But there’s a lot we can all learn from them, too.

Alex Consani: So nice to finally meet you, babe. Where are you?

Vivian Wilson: I am in Los Angeles, currently.

Alex Consani: But you used to live in Japan?

Vivian Wilson: For a bit, yeah. Then I moved back.

Alex Consani: You have lore, boots. I was actually just there recently. It’s a really beautiful place.

Vivian Wilson: Yeah, it’s a cool place. I like it there. You should go to Ni-chōme… the place with all the gay bars. It’s good.

Alex Consani: OK, I’m clocking in to this right now. How old were you when you moved there?

Vivian Wilson: I was 19. I think I should have waited a bit… keeping up with everything that comes with moving to a new place, on top of a bunch of administration in a language I did not speak, at that age... It was a bit overwhelming. Where are you right now?

Alex Consani: Paris, girl. It’s so nice. The weather right now is gorgeous.

Vivian Wilson: I wanna move there.

Alex Consani: I’ve been saying this: you need to be a fashion girl. Take it there, babe, take it there.

Vivian Wilson: That’s the plan.

Alex Consani: But the only thing is they’ll fuck your gorgeous hair up, and I will never let that happen.

Vivian Wilson: Oh, I have contractual obligations to protect this.

You guys have big platforms. Do you sometimes struggle to navigate how to talk about politics? Do you ever feel restricted?

Vivian Wilson: I’m unhinged as hell. I will go on long-ass political rants. That’s kind of what’s expected of me.

Alex Consani: I’m unhinged in a different way. I’ll talk about it, and I have conversations publicly – when I do stuff like this – but it can be a bit difficult to speak about it in a way that won’t create more hate towards my identity as a trans person. I feel like I’m so outspoken already about being trans, so when I speak about anything else it’s like, “Oh, the tranny said this, the tranny said that.” I will always talk about politics, it’s just about doing it in a way that means something to the actual cause that I’m speaking about.

Vivian Wilson: You ate that! I feel like… I’m not a politician, but I am someone who talks about politics. Everyone’s a political figure!

I think being uncensored is an inherent part of being trans – Alex Consani

Alex Consani: High-key yes… Even people “in the norm” are political figures, if people look to them for advice on what to believe politically. I personally have never been the one to be like, “I’m going to tell you what to do politically.” But also, I’m going to tell you what I believe in morally, period. Take that information and do with it what you will. I’ve also realised so many people like to be in a bubble of comfort, or a bubble of privilege, especially when they’re white and cis and have some sort of money. When your experience is comfortable enough that you are willing to never experience or listen to anyone else’s stories, that is where you become uneducated.

Vivian Wilson: I entirely agree with that. There’s not really a way to be like, “Oh, I don’t get into politics. I’m politically neutral.” That’s not a thing in 2025. It’s not. If you don’t have any beliefs then, by default, you are…

Alex Consani: … you’re inherently a dumb-ass bitch! Like, stand up. You’re dumb as fuck. It’s so stupid.

Vivian Wilson: I was trying to find a nice way to say it but, yeah, pretty much.

Alex Consani: When I was speaking about the shit happening in Palestine, there were a lot of people in fashion who were like, “Maybe don’t say that.” Some of my friends were like, “I talked about it and now I haven’t been working for months.” For me, it’s a moral belief. I’m not scared to speak about what I believe in, especially when it comes to human lives. Vivian, I don’t know if you feel the same way – but it’s like we were given a platform to speak, so why not take it, no?

Vivian Wilson: If a brand was like, “We don’t want you because of what you said,” I’d be like, “I’ll say it again. I didn’t want you to begin with!”

Alex Consani: I think being uncensored is an inherent part of being trans. Our identities are already something that we have to fight for, and you kind of just have to say “fuck it” and speak about what you believe in, because you’re not going to change who you are, right?

We’ve all got that little voice in our head that tells us we shouldn’t say certain things, or shouldn’t be a certain way, or that people won’t believe us…

Vivian Wilson: I killed that voice in my head a long time ago. Took it out in front of the barn. Two-barrel.

Alex Consani: Shot her down.

Vivian Wilson: She’s dead in a ditch.

Alex Consani: Still, social media is just a portrayal of one side of yourself. No matter what you say, even if you think that you’re the most raw person in the world, when you turn the phone on you are still putting something out there that you want to be seen or perceived in a certain way. Parasocial relationships can be difficult in that sense… People come up to me and do crazy shit. They grab me. No one wants to talk to me, they just want a picture. But also, I don’t know you. Who knows what I’m going through, babe?

Vivian Wilson: People ask about things that were very difficult in my life that I’ve been public about online. They ask very detailed, personal questions and I’m like, “I don’t want to talk about this.” I’ve had moments where it’s just been way too many people and it’s really overwhelming. Then I struggle to exit the situation.

Alex Consani: No shade [to those people], but it’s just not that hard to tell. Like, if Beyoncé is having a panic attack on the kerb, I’m not going to talk to her.

Vivian Wilson: If Beyoncé is having a panic attack it’s like, “I don’t see anything.”

Alex Consani: Right?

Vivian Wilson: I tell myself, “I don’t struggle with being a people pleaser, I can say no to people.” But I really do struggle.

Alex Consani: I think we all dream of being independent as fuck. But I also think, if you’re moral, you want everyone to feel comfortable around you. Which means, yeah, you’re a people pleaser.

Vivian Wilson: I’m getting better at [caring for myself]. I thought I was bad at it, then I met some people who were really bad and I was like, “You should get better at this… Wait, I should get better at this!” That sounds so bad, because it sounds like I only realised the problem when I realised that other people had it worse, but I think that’s often the way.

Alex Consani: No, that means you’re introspective, babe. That means you look at other people’s situations and reflect on how you can better yourself, which is the best way to live. If you’re doing too much to please other people and not taking the time for yourself, physically and mentally… no matter what the situation is, I think that should be the utmost priority.

I’m not scared to speak about what I believe in… We were given a platform to speak, why not take it? – Alex Consani

What do you do to care for yourself?

Vivian Wilson: I learned French because I like languages.

Alex Consani: Got a smart bitch over here!

Vivian Wilson: I’m just a woman with hobbies.

Alex Consani: Humour is a way of coping for me. It’s good for not only distracting myself from situations that I’m in, but also, when I’m going through something, I was always the bitch who would make it into a joke. Humour has always been a vital tool for me, but also I just love to fucking laugh. Who doesn’t love to laugh?

Vivian Wilson: For me it was a coping mechanism, but I really started to develop my sense of humour when I was a teenager. I would spend a lot of time in these queer online spaces. It’s a very specific kind of humour which involves reading people. I love volleying with people who have a sharp wit. I think that’s so much fun to do. Honestly, if your friends are not insulting you in a funny way, they’re not friends, right?

Alex Consani: It’s a cultural humour. Queer culture has influenced humour and linguistics so much. Trans women –and specifically Black trans women – have influenced so much. All the terms the white gays in LA use are like the diffused versions – you go to a ball in New York, and it’s like, “Oh, right.” That’s an inherent part of being queer – you influence, but you don’t get the flowers for it.

Vivian Wilson: Yeah. I don’t think people realise how much vocabulary comes from the ballroom scene – and was created by Black trans women specifically. That kind of vocabulary gets passed down and again, diffused, like you were saying. I think it’s super-cool, and from a linguistic perspective it’s super-interesting. It’s also really clever and quick. People in ballroom will absolutely read you to filth.

Alex Consani: Now, that’s what I’m saying. When you were saying you like the type of humour where you read a bitch – that comes from ballroom. It’s crazy, because nowadays bitches are like, “Oh, that’s such an internet way of thinking.” That’s what gags me.

Vivian Wilson: People have been calling it “Gen-Z slang”. I’m like, “No, it’s been around forever and it’s from ballroom!” That pisses me off.

Alex Consani: With raising awareness for this kind of thing, it’s important to come from trans people, but it’s also important to come from the white gays, you know. From the people who aren’t in the communities that are dealing with the lack of credit for the things they create. I think [it’s a good thing] that people will read this issue and talk to their white gays who say things like, “Gag, the tea, sis.” Like, tell them what’s good! Read it and weep, you know?

What scares you guys about the future?

Vivian Wilson: Uh, the news? 2025 is not a good year to be literate. I would be so happy if I was a dumb bitch right now. But the gradual shifting of the Overton window to the right in America is like a trainwreck you can’t [stop]. And also, you’re on the train.

Alex Consani: I think that the mass of [available] information is actually making people less politically active. But it’s really important to stand on what you believe personally, morally, and take that information in and do something about it in the way you feel that you can, safely.

Vivian Wilson: It is currently July 8 and one of the most relevant political issues right now is “Alligator Alcatraz” [a Florida detention centre detaining hundreds without charges in harsh, overcrowded conditions], which is horrible – the thought that anyone can justifiably treat humans in this type of way. We are treating human beings like pests. I don’t understand how any of these people sleep at night.

Alex Consani: For people to be seeing that shit on Instagram Reels – I don’t think people know how to react to that… But as long as your reaction is anything but silent – you need to be speaking up about it or doing research about it… because you might be sitting comfortably in a bed, in a safe home, in a place where you’re not worried about a bomb coming through a roof. But a lot of people don’t have that privilege.

Vivian Wilson: I think that people really need to put themselves in the shoes of other people.

Alex Consani: I love to see that there are strong women in this world who stand on what they believe politically. You’re really powerful, babe. I hope you fucking know. Like, not even – girl, not me about to cry – it’s just so, so powerful… I know whatever you’ve gone through in your life has not been easy, and it’s so powerful to see you stand on what you believe.

Vivian Wilson: I’m literally gonna cry.

Alex Consani: No, girl, I’m crying right now. It’s just really beautiful. And it gives me so much hope. I have talked about this with people like Connie Fleming. When I won the Fashion Award [for model of the year, in 2024] she was texting me, crying. For me, Connie was like the messiah of being a trans model. She went through the most insane shit… It’s so beautiful now to see the reaction of our community, and to see people like you standing up and fighting and not being silent about it. Because there was a time when we didn’t have that safety and that privilege and that ability to just stand up and say it. For us to do that, it gives me so much hope.

Vivian Wilson: I love you, sis.

Alex Consani: I love you, sis. I can’t believe we’ve never met [in person].

Vivian Wilson: That is crazy! I kept being like, “I kind of wanna text Alex Consani.”

Alex Consani: Text Alex Consani! Let’s chop it up, babe. I’m coming to LA in August. Let’s link.

Hair Karim Belghiran at Art Partner, make-up Min Kim at Streeters, set design Jack Flanagan at Streeters, talent Alex Consani at IMG, digital tech Enea Arienti, photographic assistants Pierre Nowak, Remi Chautant, styling assistants Moni Jiang, Aroua Ammari, Camilla Poce, Kirsten Humphreys, Emma Hockenhull, Isabella Magee, hair assistant Pol Guarné Ayuso, make-up assistant Ranhee Park, set design assistants Caroline Rose Curdy, Konstantinos Kyriakopoulos, production Rachael Evans at Repro Agency, production assistant Meron Ayele, casting gk-ld.