Taylor Hale made history when she became the first Black woman to win Big Brother, catapulting her even further into the public eye (even more so, perhaps, than the 24/7 surveillance feed broadcast to the entire viewing audience). After leaving the Big Brother house, Hale’s career only went up—meaning more views, more eyes on her. And now, Hale is Playboy’s Miss March, making her debut in the magazine.

But Hale’s Playmate shoot wasn’t about putting herself on display for public consumption—it was about taking control of her image, presenting herself how she wants to be seen. To accompany her shoot, Hale penned an essay for Playboy about the politics of reality TV, social media, and visibility, particularly for women.