The January 2017 issue of National Geographic features a major first in the the storied 128-year-old publication’s history — for the first time ever, the cover features a transgender individual. The special “Gender Revolution” issue features interviews with more than 80 transgender and gender-expansive youth across the globe. And most notable of all, the person who had the honor of being on the cover is 9-year-old transgender girl Avery Jackson of Kansas City, Mo. On the cover, Avery is quoted as saying, “The best thing about being a girl is, now I don’t have to pretend to be a boy.”