Beauty
Meet Erika Ervin, The Tallest Model In The World
Fame and recognition came after Erika’s hard work and patience.
It was a dream come true for Erika Ervin when she transitioned from male to female in 2004. The decision did come with some loss as none of her family supported her, and she ultimately was left alone. But Erika didn’t give up and, over the years, has built a vast, supportive network of people from all over the world, many of whom have never judged her choices.
Today, Erika stands as an avid advocate for LGBT rights, abused children, and those who have HIV.
The model is equally a motivator for all people who have lost trust and confidence in themselves.
“Every young woman deserves a flowering time. Friends and family support are important, so be patient when you come out to your loved ones. Love yourself. Be cautious with what you see in the mirror, and be kind to yourself. Say to yourself; I deserve love. Self-acceptance is one of the most important factors in your transition and your mental being,” Erika said in an interview.
Known as Amazon Eve, Erika has played a recurring character on American Horror Story: Freak Show.
The fitness trainer got people’s attention in the movie because of her extraordinary height, which stands at 6ft and 8inch.
It was pretty challenging for Erika to get spotlight roles as an actress as she had been constantly offered characters as an alien or monster. At one point, she got so exhausted from the office lifestyle that she had to join a gym, which sadly brought forth a failure because she strived for an unrealistic size 0 physique, which almost cost her health. Eventually, Erika learned from her mistakes and now has a healthier body image and views herself as a super-sized version of Superwoman.
With accepting her true self, she tours the world participating in height comparison photo shoots and modeling jobs.
In 2011, Erika was crowned the World’s Tallest Professional Model by Guinness World Records.
Of her relationship status, the brunette is in a happy affair and barely has to bend over to kiss her man. Dennis Hargrove is her BF’s name, and he’s in his sixties, measuring 6’4,” which makes the pair a near-perfect match. Erika met with Dennis when he was her accountant and felt a spark along the line. He so much admires Erika that his nickname for her is Victory.
According to Dennis, she also represents the statue Winged Victory of Samothrace in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
He said: “She is a tender loving companion to me. She sometimes complains about her height from time to time, but I know she enjoys being tall. She likes to live out a superhero fantasy, imagining herself wearing a costume, ridding the world of evil with her brains, martial arts and sense of justice as her only weapons.”
Erika’s journey to self-acceptance wasn’t all smooth as she had struggled with herself and the people who surrounded her in childhood.
The model was aged 5 when she felt different, and by age 7, she realized it was her male gender that was the real issue for her. Erika confessed that when she looked in the mirror, she had a strong desire to turn into a girl, most especially as all of her friends back then were girls; she adorned the toys designed for girls and the way more feminine names sounded.
“I believed in magic back then – haha! I loved angels and dragons at that age and wanted one to visit me and be my protector, like in the movie Pete’s Dragon.” But none came to help Erika, who had had a rough relationship with her father until her mom divorced the abused man. To date, her father never accepted her, yet Erika has proved to stay strong for herself.
Erika advises people still struggling with self-acceptance: “Have fun and celebrate your life. Be safe out there.”
However, studies claim that height can heavily influence our emotional state of mind. And as it turns out, people who were made to feel shorter tend to experience more vulnerability and a greater sense of paranoia. Erika may have never felt such paranoia in her life as her height is outstanding, but she, of course, has had a lot of other obstacles to overcome on her way to happiness.
