Bravo just added some long-overdue sparkle to its reality empire, casting model and influencer Emira D’Spain as the first trans person to join the network as a full-time cast member. Known online as @XOXOEMIRA, the 28-year-old powerhouse is set to debut on Next Gen NYC, the new spinoff series that’s trading wine moms for Gen Z energy.
Born in the United Arab Emirates and raised in Dallas, Emira isn’t just here to fill a diversity quota — she’s here to run the show. With a Marketing and Communications degree from NYU and a stint as beauty director at Paper magazine, she’s got receipts for days. Bravo describes her as “ambitious, driven, and always two steps ahead,” which basically makes her the Elle Woods of lower Manhattan — if Elle wore Mugler and ran a TikTok empire.
“Time to be messy…” she teased in her Instagram announcement, complete with a side-eye emoji that says, I didn’t come to play, I came to slay.
Making Space for Glamour and Grit
This casting isn’t just good TV — it’s a cultural reset. After breaking barriers as the first Black trans woman to model for Victoria’s Secret, Emira is once again showing trans visibility can be both stylish and powerful. It’s not about tokenism, it’s about presence, and Emira’s got it in spades.
Bravo’s Next Gen NYC is a reality series that reintroduces the grown-up kids of Real Housewives icons — but Emira, not related to any Bravolebrity, proves hustle can speak louder than bloodlines. She’s stepping into a space historically dominated by rich, cis, straight drama queens and carving out room for herself with diamonds, drama, and dignity.
While Bravo has previously featured trans individuals in guest or side roles, this is the first time the network has made the bold — and long overdue — move to cast a trans woman as a central player. It’s not just a win for Emira; it’s a glitter-drenched win for the trans community at large.
Why This Moment Matters for the LGBTQ Community
In an entertainment industry that still treats queer and especially trans narratives as niche, Emira’s visibility on mainstream reality TV is vital. It’s more than glam selfies and perfectly contoured confessionals — it’s about showing millions of viewers that trans people are culture, not just a sidebar to it.
As anti-trans rhetoric rises in politics and online spaces, Emira’s casting is a defiant, delicious reminder that trans women belong everywhere, including the chaotic, champagne-soaked world of Bravo. Her presence alone challenges decades of programming that excluded or erased trans voices.
And let’s be real — who better to school the Housewives-adjacent crowd on how to turn a look, land a brand deal, and dodge drama with a wink?
Next Gen NYC premieres June 3, and something tells us Emira D’Spain isn’t just joining the party — she’s about to become the guest of honor.