The visibility of transgender people in society has reached a new level, thanks to the many people who have helped push LGBTQ+ forward. There are also many inspirational transgender celebrities in the film industry. Let’s take a look!
As the child of Sonny Bono and Cher, Chaz Salvatore Bono’s life was bound to be different. At the age of 13, Chaz came out as a lesbian and became active in promoting LGBTQ causes. From 2008 to 2010, Bono underwent a female-to-male gender transition and embraced his new identity.
As a TV personality appearing on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Caitlyn/Bruce Jenner is no stranger to the public. Coming out as a trans woman in 2015, Jenner completed sex reassignment surgery in 2017.
Born in Brazil and raised in Italy, Lea T was born male but underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2012 in Thailand. She is the first openly transgender model who participated in the opening ceremonies of an Olympics (2016 Rio) and was chosen as the face of a global cosmetics brand.
Famous for the role of Sophia Burset in Orange Is the New Black, the legendary Laverne Cox is the first openly transgender person to win a Daytime Emmy Award. She reveals little about her transexual life but is an active LGBTQ+ advocate.
Formerly known as Ellen Page, Canadian actor Elliot Page came out as a lesbian in 2014. With his then-wife, Emma Portner, they had a happy marriage from 2018 to 2021. Now Page describes herself as a transgender person and preferrs to be called Elliot.
Zaya Wade, child of 13-time NBA All-Star Dwyane Wade, has known that she was transgender since she was 3. Zaya came out to her parents at the age of 12, claiming that she preferred to be referenced as she and her. Of course, she got their full support.
Gigi Gorgeous is arguably the leading beauty YouTuber, and has 2.82 million followers. In 2013, she came out as a transgender woman and began to use the name Gigi Gorgeous. Since 2014, Gigi has been uploading videos of her gender transition.
Laura Jane Grace, the lead singer of the punk rock band Against Me!, experienced gender dysphoria at an early age. In 2021, she came out as a transgender female and planned her surgery. To Laura’s surprise, instead of being hindered, her career became even more successful.
When Kim was still Tim, she knew that she was meant to be a woman. At 13, Kim Petras announced her plan to have gender reassignment surgery and underwent the surgery on her 16th birthday. Now Kim can enjoy the prime of her career with a body that she’s satisfied with.
Yasmine Petty has never thought herself as a model due to her transgender identity, but she became one anyway. She has even appeared in Vogue Italia with models like Naomi Campbell. The secret of her success is “always try[ing] to fully embrace who I am in whatever I do, even if it requires being vulnerable and brave.”
Performance artist Candis Cayne had a tough childhood due to her gender dysphoria. She came out as a transgender woman in 1996 and has played many LGBTQ roles in TV shows. Now she is Caitlyn Jenner’s firm supporter and has helped Caitlyn to get through a tough time.
Tracey Norman always knew that she was a woman, but it was not after she graduated from high school she had the courage to come out. With her family’s support, Tracey went through a gender transition and became the first African-American trans woman model who has enjoyed spectacular achievements in the fashion industry.
Friends’ actor Alexis Arquette has had a complicated life story. Despite undergoing gender reassignment surgery in 2004, Alexis has been plagued by gender doubts. He has alternately thought of herself as a man or a woman at various times in her life. Alexis has been HIV positive since 1987 and died at the age of 47 of a cardiac arrest caused by HIV-induced myocarditis.
Amanda Lepore, a former member of the Club Kid, knew that she was a girl from the very beginning. Her parents were understanding and supportive, helping her with female hormone therapy. At 19, Amanda had gender reassignment surgery and made it big in the 90’s NYC nightlife scene.
Born as a male named George William Jorgenson, Christine Jorgenson served in the U.S. Army and was on the front line in World War II. Christine is considered the pioneer in gender reassignment surgery. She had her first series of operations in Denmark in 1952.
Best known for her role in Sense8, Jamie Clayton is a trans woman. She fully embraces her identity and states that trans actors should audition for any role.
