While some of us are celebrating election day by sporting "Madam President" red nail polish and casting ballots in white pantsuits, model Maggie Rizer is leaving Trump Model Management as a sign of #ImWithHer. A major supermodel from the '90s, it couldn't have been an easy decision to leave the agency that helped her rebuild her career. While republican politicians themselves have spent the majority of the election cycle taking up an "I hate him but I'll vote for him stance," Rizer has decided to do the hard thing and stand up for her beliefs — regardless if that makes her lose a paycheck.
Rizer took to Instagram to announce her departure from the agency that's helped her for eight years, posting a black and white headshot of herself and saying,
Today I had to do a hard thing parting ways with my agent at Trump Models. Corinne is a great agent and a close friend who has guided and supported me as I transitioned to becoming a working mom. That said, as a woman, a mother, an American and a human being, I cannot wake up Wednesday morning being the least bit related to the Trump brand; win or lose. I owe it to myself and to my children to proudly stand up for what I believe in and that is a world where Donald Trump has no voice for the future of our country.
Announcing that she can't stomach the idea of being related to the Trump brand any longer is a huge statement, especially considering how she's close friends with her actual agent and credits the company for helping her with her comeback.
As Teen Vogue pointed out, many women have left the company because of poor conditions and unacceptable treatment. "As the election has progressed, many models have come out against Trump’s agency, accusing him of illegally employing foreign models, forcing them to exist in nearly unlivable conditions, and not paying them properly for the work they completed," Teen Vogue reported.
But in Rizer's case, on paper it would appear that she was happy with her position — which makes the drop all the more powerful. Keeping her beliefs in mind, Rizer made a brave move switching something as important as her career on the grounds of her ethics. Not many people have the guts to follow their truths, and for that Rizer deserves a round of applause.
