Many transgender stars have made history by fully assuming their identity. These icons have paved the way for greater understanding and acceptance of transgender people in society through their courage and determination. Discover below some of the transgender icons who have changed social perception.
Transgender icons who have changed social perception
Discover 10 transgender icons who have changed social perception of transidentity. They have helped trans people to find their bearings and many to assert themselves fully.
Marsha P. Johnson
Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992) was an emblematic figure in the LGBTQ+ movement. Famous for her crucial participation in the Stonewall riots in 1969, a landmark event in the battle for equality for queer individuals. Marsha, a charismatic drag queen and unyielding activist, has dedicated her life to fighting for the rights of transgender individuals. With Sylvia Rivera, she established the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), an association offering shelter to homeless transgender youth. Her famous slogan “Pay It No Mind” was her bold way of confronting discrimination.
Elliot Page
Elliot Page first came out as a young man, but struggled with his identity for some time. He came out as transgender in 2020 in a statement on Instagram, sharing his “joy” at having come to this point and “gratitude” to everyone who has given him support. Elliot was revealed in season 3’s The Umbrella Academy. The actor said that coming out has categorically improved many facets of his life.
Caitlyn Jenner
Caitlyn Jenner was known as Bruce before she became the woman she is today. It wasn’t until the age of 64, in late 2013, that Kendal and Kylie Jenner’s father began his gender transition, a change he’d thought about long in advance. On her gender change, Caitlyn Jenner answered questions with transparency. She shared that her desire to become a woman dates back some 30 years. “I thought I would transition before I turned 40 because I didn’t want to be an old maid. But in the late 1980s, I felt like I would never be supported. I was trying to deal with it on my own,” she explained. She finally managed to win it, although it took a long time.
Caroline Cossey
Caroline Cossey, also known as “Tula”, was the first recognized transgender model. She had a successful career in the 70s and 80s, posing for renowned magazines such as Vogue and appearing in the film James Bond: Just for Your Eyes (1981).
In 1981, Caroline Cossey was unwillingly “outed” by the media, but she valiantly pursued her profession and committed herself to the rights of transgender people. She is the author of an autobiography called My Story, in which she recounts her transition process and her efforts to gain recognition for transgender individuals in the fashion industry and beyond. Her bravery and visibility have paved the way for many other trans figures in modeling and entertainment.
MJ Rodriguez
By the time she realized she was transgender, MJ Rodriguez was already an actress. In fact, it was a character she played that helped her discover it. She transitioned and has since enjoyed immense success, thanks in no small part to her appearance on FX’s Pose as Blanca. But MJ also had the opportunity to make history, as she was the first transgender actress nominated in both the “Leading Actor” and “Leading Dramatic Actress” categories for an Emmy Award. She was also the first transgender actress to win a Golden Globe. Aware of the importance of her victory, MJ declared: “This is the door that will open for many other young talents. They’ll see that it’s more than possible”.
Hunter Schafer
Hunter Schafer has made a name for herself by rethinking the representation of transgender individuals in fashion and film. Unveiling a moving role in Euphoria, she represents true, nuanced trans youth, bringing unprecedented representation to the screen.
As a model for prestigious brands such as Prada and Dior, she has broken down barriers in the fashion industry by representing diversity and inclusion. With a commitment to activism, she uses her celebrity to advocate for the rights of trans people and to inspire the next generation through her art and activism.
Laverne Cox
In 2013, Laverne Cox made her debut with her role in Orange is the New Black. Since then, she has played several characters in numerous TV series. She became the first transgender person to be nominated for an Emmy when it came to her participation in Orange Is the New Black in the acting category. She says: “It was never about me. I was very clear from the beginning: my journey was stronger than me.” She added: “There’s a part of me that feels really proud to have been the first in many ways, but I’m not the last.” She was the channel that opened the way for many others.
Jamie Clayton
Jamie Clayton had her first successes on the first makeover show “Transform Me” alongside Laverne Cox as make-up artist and co-host. She followed in the footsteps of Orange is the New Black star Laverne Cox. She starred in the sci-fi series Sense8, in which she played the character of Nomi, one of eight people who suddenly become mentally connected. She went on to star in a number of other series, including The L Word: Generation Q, where she played the role of a woman who is not transgender – an important phase for the actress.
Yasmin Finney
She shot to fame with her role as Elle in the popular Netflix series Heartstopper. Yasmin says of the character she played in the series, “It’s so beautiful to see a trans story normalized on television.” Yasmin Finney began documenting her experiences as a young trans woman on TikTok in Manchester, UK, and has gained thousands of followers and millions of views. She attributes this to the fact that there was a place for her in the entertainment industry. Yasmin Finney grew up a lot after being bullied in high school and coming out as transgender, all before she became famous. She says: “I’ve started to accept who I am. I don’t want to be perfect. I just want to be me, authentically”.
Kim Petras
Ever since she was a child growing up in Germany, Kim Petras wanted to be a pop star. In 2017, she shot to fame when her debut single reached number one on Spotify’s Global Viral Top 50, and the video even featured Paris Hilton. But Kim Petras likes to say that she wasn’t discovered: “I discovered myself”. As the first openly transgender performer to sing at the VMAS and MTV Europe Music Awards, she’s now smashing records everywhere.
Andréa Furet
Andréa Furet was born on June 11, 2002, and realized at the age of 15 that she was born in the wrong body. Before graduating from high school and enrolling at the Cours Florent, she began her gender transition. She appeared in the Alex Hugo series and played the lead role in II est-elle en 2021 on TFI. She then joined the cast of La Faute à Rousseau et la meilleure moitié. On October 22, 2022, she took part in Miss Île-de-France as the first transgender Miss France candidate, and despite her elimination, left with “a sense of accomplishment”. Through their moving and inspiring stories, these transgender icons have changed social perception. They have dared to be themselves, and have become models of resilience and authenticity.
