Five Transgender Celebs Who Paved the Way
Today is national Transgender Day of Remembrance, which allows an opportunity for communities to come together and mark the passing of transgender individuals — or those perceived to be transgender — who have been murdered because of hate.
To honor the lives of transgender and gender nonconforming people, we’ve compiled a list of a few well-known transgender heroes, both alive and dead, who have helped pave the way for awareness of trans issues and bring about change.
Chaz Bono
![Chaz-Bono]( "Chaz-Bono")
Chaz Bono is an LGBT activist and the child of entertainers Sonny and Cher. Between 2008 and 2010, Bono underwent sex reassignment surgery. A documentary on his experience, Becoming Chaz, was screened at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and broadcast on OWN.
Laverne Cox
![MV5BMTQ2MzU4MDI3M15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwOTA4MDcwMDE@._V1._SX357_SY536_]( "MV5BMTQ2MzU4MDI3M15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwOTA4MDcwMDE@._V1._SX357_SY536_")
Laverne Cox is an actress and transgender activist. She became widely known after appearing in 13 episodes of the Netflix series Orange is the New Black, playing a transgender woman in prison for credit card fraud.
Renée Richards
![121016_SN_ReneeRichards.jpg.CROP_.article250-medium]( "121016_SN_ReneeRichards.jpg.CROP_.article250-medium")
Renée Richards is a former professional tennis player. In 1975, she underwent sex reassignment surgery. She was denied entry into the 1976 U.S. Open by the United States Tennis Association, citing an unprecedented women-born-women policy. In a landmark case, Richards challenged the ban, and the New York Supreme Court ruled in her favor in 1977.
Lana Wachowski
![634.wach_.cm_.112712_copy-360x581]( "634.wach_.cm_.112712_copy-360x581")
Lana Wachowski is, in partnership with her brother Andy, a screenwriter, director and producer most popular for their film The Matrix. Lana began transitioning from male to female in the early 2000s, but didn’t make her first public appearance as a female until July 2012. She is the first major Hollywood director to come out as transgender.
Jenna Talackova
![jenna-talackova.n-360x269]( "jenna-talackova.n-360x269")
Jenna Talackova gained widespread media attention in 2012 when she successfully waged a legal battle to be allowed to compete in the Miss Universe Canada after being initially disqualified for being a trans woman. She won the case and was allowed to compete, eventually making it into the Top 12 of the competition.
see the entire list at flop S O U R C E
how are you celebrating national transgender day of remembrance, ONTD?
Today is national Transgender Day of Remembrance, which allows an opportunity for communities to come together and mark the passing of transgender individuals — or those perceived to be transgender — who have been murdered because of hate.
To honor the lives of transgender and gender nonconforming people, we’ve compiled a list of a few well-known transgender heroes, both alive and dead, who have helped pave the way for awareness of trans issues and bring about change.
Chaz Bono
Chaz Bono is an LGBT activist and the child of entertainers Sonny and Cher. Between 2008 and 2010, Bono underwent sex reassignment surgery. A documentary on his experience, Becoming Chaz, was screened at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and broadcast on OWN.
Laverne Cox
Laverne Cox is an actress and transgender activist. She became widely known after appearing in 13 episodes of the Netflix series Orange is the New Black, playing a transgender woman in prison for credit card fraud.
Renée Richards
Renée Richards is a former professional tennis player. In 1975, she underwent sex reassignment surgery. She was denied entry into the 1976 U.S. Open by the United States Tennis Association, citing an unprecedented women-born-women policy. In a landmark case, Richards challenged the ban, and the New York Supreme Court ruled in her favor in 1977.
Lana Wachowski
Lana Wachowski is, in partnership with her brother Andy, a screenwriter, director and producer most popular for their film The Matrix. Lana began transitioning from male to female in the early 2000s, but didn’t make her first public appearance as a female until July 2012. She is the first major Hollywood director to come out as transgender.
Jenna Talackova
Jenna Talackova gained widespread media attention in 2012 when she successfully waged a legal battle to be allowed to compete in the Miss Universe Canada after being initially disqualified for being a trans woman. She won the case and was allowed to compete, eventually making it into the Top 12 of the competition.
see the entire list at flop S O U R C E
how are you celebrating national transgender day of remembrance, ONTD?