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PETA names transgender man from Utah ‘Sexiest Vegan Next Door’ for 2016

Posted at 9:59 PM, Jun 23, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-24 11:18:50-04

SALT LAKE CITY – PETA has named their "Sexiest Vegan Next Door" for this year, and the winner is from right here in Salt Lake City.

Each year, PETA hands the crown to one man and one woman.

This year’s male winner is 34-year-old Dexter Thomas, a transgender man who grew up on a cattle ranch in Salt Lake City.

Thomas said his activism was inspired by his own struggle as a transgender man.

“Well it's like, every other day we're doing our best to, I'm doing my best to reduce my contribution to suffering, to try to encourage people to be as compassionate as we can be toward other humans and other animals, and to really extend our circle of compassion,” he said. “And I'm going to continue to do that, and I hope that other people do that as well.”

Thomas said he once had to drop out of public school after he was bullied for being transgender. He’s now a Ph.D. student at the University of Utah and an activist for animal welfare and the LGBTQ community.