Ronnie Kroell – Model, Human Rights Activist and Political Science Student

 

Ronnie Kroell came upon the public’s attention as a contestant on Bravo’s Make Me a Super Model.

 

His down-to-earth appeal, intellect and humor caused a sensation on the first season. The openly gay man was really one of the first at the time to spark the term, “bromance.”

 

He had quite a crush and camaraderie with a straight and married contestant on the television show. Since then, Kroell has branched out into the world of runway modeling but has always been an interested party in the development of acceptance for LGBT people while also spreading the gospel on human rights for all.

 

Just last month, he appeared in his birthday suit for Playgirl magazine. It was his idea to cross boundaries with the spread with the hopes of creating dialogue about male nudity and sexuality in the process.

 

As he gets wet for our July editorial, The Rage Monthly wanted to dive in to learn more about his thoughts on posing in Playgirl, his passion for modeling and Political Science, plus the one thing he’s working on now to change within himself. Ronnie Kroell is a force of nature…both physically and mentally. Read on.

 

Ronnie has described his Playgirl spread as “an art project.” Here he elaborates on this description and his decision to pose nude in the magazine. “Playgirl contacted me about six months ago. In the beginning, I was a little hesitant.

 

I wasn’t sure if it was something I wanted to do. I also saw that it could be a really great opportunity to really be an artist and share some things that have been close to my heart for quite some time.

 

How I feel about American’s view of sexuality and how we have kind of demonized and made filthy the human body. As a model, I realized that the body could also be viewed as art and beautiful. At the end of the day, when we drop our labels both figuratively and literally, we’re all the same.”

 

 Taking the reins of his decision to be in the magazine, Kroell describes his ideas of what he saw in the opportunity to do June’s Playgirl spread. “I’ve worked very hard in the fashion industry to get where I am.

 

I really wanted to have a high-fashion styled GQ-esque fashion photo shoot. I wanted to do something different and have a message behind it. When I brought this to the table, with my high-fashion team and photographer, Lope Navo, they said, ‘Ronnie. You go ahead with it and run with it.’ I couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome.”

 

 As a Political Science student at The New School in New York, Kroell speaks of his true motivation in doing Playgirl. “I really wanted people to have conversations. I think that’s the only way we learn and grow as a community as a whole.

 

Getting people to talk about sexuality and not being afraid to talk about our bodies. I didn’t do this because I felt I had the best body in the world or the biggest dick in the world or the best ass or whatever…I really wanted to do this as a political scientist as well.”

 

Ronnie is currently doing a Pride Tour traveling to Boston, New York and most recently Los Angeles Pride. “I was invited to be Celebrity Marshal and be very active and involved. Yet, it’s also disheartening as a gay man.

 

I’m so proud of that part of who I am. When you see people celebrating and drinking and having a great time; while I also like those activities, I feel sometimes that we forget our roots. We forget the people who stood up at Stonewall.

 

There is really a lack of education in our community. Some of us aren’t aware of the people who went before us. It’s because of those people being fearless in putting their lives on the line with the potential of being jailed, beaten or killed that makes me feel so honored to be partaking in these festivities.”

 

Ronnie Kroell is in the midst of working on a new reality show that marries The Hills, Queer as Folk and Sex and the City all into one for the show’s premise. “It’s going to follow one of my best friends and business partners, Stephanie Jones, myself, my boyfriend Taylor Proffitt, who I love to pieces [Ronnie and Taylor have been in a monogamous relationship for nine months].

 

There are also going to be three other men who happen to be gay from all different spectrums and different careers, following their dreams in New York. We’re all a group of friends and we’re going through the trials and tribulations that life throws at you in New York.

 

You’ll see people in the fashion, sports and financial worlds. Just to show and further our message that gay people unfortunately in the media are always portrayed as these stereotypical characters. This show is going to be very interesting and push a lot of boundaries.

 

It’s not going to be as staged as The Hills. It’s going to be very organic and you will get to see these relationships unfold…for better or for worse.”

 

Nobody is perfect. When asking Ronnie if there is one thing he would change about himself or something he is working on to improve, he replies, “I’m working on saying ‘no’ to be honest with you (laughter). I have the hardest time saying ‘no.’

 

I am very much a people pleaser. I avoid conflict at all risks. I can say, I’m 90 percent comfortable in my own skin to where I don’t give other people the authority to put me down for any reason.

 

Sometimes you just have to show a little passion and sometimes it’s controlled anger that you have to share with people. Sometimes people just don’t get it. One of my biggest flaws is not knowing how to say ‘no.’ Knowing my limits because I have to take care of myself before, if I really plan on taking care of other people.”