A plus-size model who became the first openly transgender woman to land a major fashion campaign has spoken out about the difficulties of navigating the dating scene.

Model Shay Neary, 29, made her first foray into the world of online dating during her freshman year of college, after she started transitioning.

Nowadays, the model, who frequently advocates for self-love and self-acceptance on social media, says most men are no longer interested once she discloses her gender status, even if they made the first move.

Values: Model Shay Neary has navigated the online dating scene for years as a trans woman—and believes a generous dose of education and respect would improve her experience

Beginnings: Neary, 29, made her first foray into the world of online dating after she started transitioning during her freshman year of college, via Craigslist

Worse, she frequently shares screen grabs of conversations on various online dating platforms, showing how some men send her abusive comments as soon as she points out she's transgender.

Neary's experience echoes the complaints of others from the transgender community, who have spoken out against instances of abuse, discrimination, or lack of inclusivity in the world of online dating.

The model typically lets men approach her first, either on an app or in real life. She has chosen to tell prospective dates early on in the conversation that she is trans, which often leads to them dropping out of the exchange altogether.

'You're exposing yourself, making yourself vulnerable and telling them your gender status when it's such an awkward conversation to have,' Neary told DailyMail.com. 'It shouldn't be necessary. We should be more comfortable with gender as a society.'

When a prospective date declines to continue the interaction because she is trans, the model feels that her gender is being denied, 'as if we're walking penises and vaginas' who have no identity outside of their physical attributes.

Neary grew up in a small town in Philadelphia and is now based in New York City, where she juggles a day job and her modelling career. Her campaign with UK-based label Yours Clothing, which debuted earlier this year, marked the first time a plus-size, out transgender woman posed for a major fashion campaign.

While she is completely at ease with her gender and herself, the model knows some online dating users are not comfortable with dating transgender people. That is fine, she said, as long as they remain respectful.

Transparency: The model has chosen to tell prospective dates early on in the conversation that she is trans, which often leads to them dropping out of the exchange altogether

Speaking out: She regularly shares screen grabs of conversations on various online dating platforms, showing how some send abusive comments when she points out she's transgender

Clear: Over her years using online dating platforms, Neary has also gotten into the habit of disclosing the fact that she is transgender openly on her page—sometimes to no avail

Abusive: One screenshot shared by Shay earlier this year shows how one online dating user referred to being transgender as being a 'freak show' in a shocking message

Education: Another screen grab reveals how one man opted to stop the conversation after finding out Shay is a trans woman—and apparently didn't know what the term entails

'I give people the benefit of the doubt when it comes to comfort,' she said. 'I’m willing to be more open to take things slow.

'If they’re not comfortable with where I’m at in my transition, that’s OK. If they still want to know me on a deeper level, that's OK.'

For Neary, who grew up in a small town, online dating was one of the first avenues available to her in order to meet other people. At first, her only choices were OK Cupid and Craigslist.

As a college student, she went on Plenty Of Fish, but says her profile kept being deleted due to her being transgender—a complaint echoed by other former users of the website. DailyMail.com has reached out to Plenty Of Fish for comment.

Over her years using online dating platforms, Neary has gotten into the habit of disclosing the fact that she is transgender clearly on her page.

She used to ask them: 'Did you read my page?' but it became apparent that some users pretended they had when in fact they had not.

So now, Neary clearly asks 'Do you know I'm trans?' knowing the conversation might take an unpleasant or full-on abusive turn.

Knowledge: The model, who became the first plus-size out trans woman to land a major fashion campaign, wishes people would proactively get to know the trans community

Outreach: The model urged others to get to know people inside the trans community and make trans friends to improve their understanding of transgender people

Spreading the love: The model also acts as a body positivity advocate on social media and often shares snaps of herself to encourage others to embrace their own physiques

'It’s just about how it’s addressed. If someone is just genuinely no interested but educated on the topic, that's OK,' she said.

'There has to be a level of respect. If you can say, "I was attracted to this person but I understand they're trans and I'm not really interested," that’s OK.'

Most of Neary's relationships have been with men who had never dated a trans woman before, and she believes the experience probably changed their perception of dating significantly .

'I’m sure when you talk about your type of person, you have a specific thing in mind. And sometimes that includes a vagina. Some men can’t get past the biology of it. But many men are perfectly fine with being with a transgender woman,' she said.

It’s your job as an educated citizen of the world to be as knowledgeable as possible

The model wishes people would proactively get to know the trans community.

'People almost expect you to educate them and I hate that in a sense because it’s not my job,' she said. 'It’s your job as an educated citizen of the world to try to be as knowledgeable as possible.'

When she encounters men who are into transgender women, Neary finds them 'so refreshing'—because then she is free to talk about her own interests instead of discussing her gender.

'There are so many other topics I love to talk about and I don’t get to talk about them,' she added. 'Your conversation starts revolving around your gender 24/7. You become the voice of reason for the trans community.'

But the model has always insisted on pointing that she does not represent the trans community as a whole. In the world of online dating, the only person she can represent is herself.

Profile: As far as her favorite dating apps, Neary says OK Cupid and Tinder are among their favorites, because they make it easy to self-identify as a transgender individual

Being Shay: The model insists that she does not represent the trans community as a whole. In the world of online dating, the only person she can represent is herself

At its core, Neary wishes people know dating a transgender person is 'just like regular dating'.

'There’s so many fears. I’ve always been a firm believer that we let fear tell us what we should and shouldn’t do. Because society says it should be this way, we conform to that thing,' she said.

'Take fear out of the perspective. You may find someone who may push you to do more with your life and be a better person.'

The model urged others to get to know people inside the trans community and make trans friends to improve their understanding of transgender people.

As far as her favorite dating apps, Neary says OK Cupid and Tinder are among their favorites, because they make it easy to self-identify as a transgender individual as part of a user profile.

'There are also trans dating applications. But I don't think those sites help,' she added. 'They perpetuate a stereotype that it’s OK not to be included in the whole. I would rather it be mainstream than it be a secretive thing.'