BY DERON DALTON
Many children face teasing or bullying because of their features, traits, characteristics, or clothes that others consider flaws, deficiencies, or imperfections. Unfortunately, it’s one of those things that comes with growing pains.
Teasing or bullying is definitely one of the more relatable experiences of childhood. For me, it was my gap. I mean, I still have a gap that I rock proudly. It’s my signature. It’s part of my magic.
Though finding pride in my gap (okay, and overbite) hasn’t always been easy. Like being a repressed gay child, I got made fun of a lot for being gay before I even knew what being gay truly meant.
By the way, there’s more on my “gay awakenings” (yes, plural) coming soon.
But beyond all the “is he or isn’t he” speculation, my gap was the physical feature that people—family, friends, or foes—fixated on. Though it made me a hell of a lot stronger, like most of my people, whether that be Black queer folk or other magical gap-wielding beings.
Enter Danielle “Dani” Evans, an iconic gap-wielding model and the winner of “America’s Next Top Model” cycle six, who, in retrospect, taught me to take pride in one of my more significant traits that makes me special.
By 2006, 16-year-old Deron, like millions of others, watched the then-and-now controversial reality TV competition, also known as “ANTM.” I watched most seasons religiously in the aughts. And though many people find it problematic and cringey now, back then, again, millions tuned in.
In the spring of 2006, episode eight of season six of “ANTM” aired on UPN, before the merger with The WB, which became The CW with cycle seven. In this episode, the contestants were sent to the dentist to get their teeth whitened. Two of the models were offered the “opportunity” to have their teeth fixed. Joanie Dodds received veneers to fix her “snaggletooth.” Though unhappy with the first round of surgery, Dodds ends up loving her new smile after a second session. Though in the 2026 Netflix docuseries…more on that later…Dodds said she’s feeling the negative impact of the surgeries on her dental health.
The eventual runner-up was praised for fixing her teeth, which was her prerogative.
Though Evans, the eventual winner, declined to fully close her gap, proclaiming, it’s part of who she is. I, having watched a lot of compelling reality and dramatized TV, revered Evans sticking up for herself as one of the most powerful moments on TV.
Read more via Pop Queen Journal.