Modern Family's Sofia Vergara Says She Resembles A Transsexual

In its depiction of a gay couple raising an adopted daughter, ABC's Modern Family — last year's Emmy-winner for Best Comedy Series and nominated again this year — has gone into uncharted territory by providing viewers with an example of a wholesome family structure that, perhaps because it is "normal" the same way straight families are and aren't, seems anything but alternative. Sofía Vergara's character, Colombian trophy wife Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on the show, is not part of the gay couple (played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet), but she is vocal about her support of having positive gay role models on television and has no problem admitting that she shares some similarities with transsexuals.

Vergara says her resemblance of a transsexual led to an early movie role. "I did a movie called Grilled with Ray Romano and Kevin James that went straight to video. I played a transsexual, a guy who had gone all the way with the operation to become a woman," she told The Advocate. "I had a great time playing that character."

Explaining that she had little difficulty stepping into the role, Vergara said that certain over-the-top characteristics align nicely with those of a male-to-female transsexual. "I look like a transsexual anyway," she said. "I’m a woman, but I’m super-exaggerated with my boobs, my ass, my makeup, and my accent. When I get ready for an event, I always look at myself in the mirror and say, 'I look like a transvestite!' I love it."

In addition to celebrating her affinity with transsexuals, the Barranquilla, Colombia, native also opened up about her support of LGBT rights in the Latin community, noting how much more difficult it can be for Latin gays to come out of the closet. "Well, imagine how hard it is for Latin guys and Latin kids to be gay. Most of us are raised very Catholic, and the macho figure is very strong in our culture, so it’s still more taboo and a million times more dramatic to come out," Vergara said. "Many gay friends have told me how hard it was for them to be open in the Latin community. Nothing’s going to change from one day to the other, so it’s a matter of doing things little by little. That’s why I love the gay couple in Modern Family."

Modern Family returns September 21 for a third season on ABC.