Transgender star Elliot Page featured in Time magazine
Oscar-nominated star Elliot Page has given his first interview since coming out as transgender. Along with the actor, here are other public figures who have contributed to breaking down barriers.
Elliot Page's first in-depth interview
Last December, the Oscar-nominated star of "Juno" came out as a transgender man, revealing his new name and pronouns — he/they — in a letter to fans posted on social media. In his first in-depth interview since coming out, the "Umbrella Academy" actor told Time magazine that he wants to use his "privilege and platform" to help other trans people.
Laverne Cox
As Elliot Page pointed out in his coming out letter, "discrimination towards trans people is rife." Just before Page made his announcement, Laverne Cox, another prominent transgender activist, detailed on Instagram a recent transphobic attack in Los Angeles. The "Orange is the New Black" star is the first openly transgender woman to be nominated for an Emmy for acting.
Caitlyn Jenner
Retired US Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete Caitlyn Jenner is one of the most renowned people to have publicly transitioned. She revealed her new name and gender on the cover of "Vanity Fair" in 2015, posing for renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. The TV personality's announcement paved the way for new conversations about transitioning and trans rights.
Chaz Bono
Standard advice when referring to trans people: Avoid using their birth names, since "deadnaming" misgenders the person and dismisses their identity expression. The son of singers Sonny Bono and Cher, Chaz Bono, transitioned from female to male from 2008-2010. A documentary on Bono's experience, "Becoming Chaz," came out in 2011.
Jazz Jennings
The activist, YouTube and TV star's shows focus on her experiences as a transgender youth. Born in 2000, Jazz Jennings was diagnosed with gender dysphoria at the age of five, making her one of the youngest publicly documented people to be identified as transgender. A year later, she started appearing on television with her family to talk about the challenges of her identity.
Andreja Pejic
Bosnian-Australian model Andreja Pejic came out as a trans woman in 2013. She was the first transgender woman to appear on the cover of GQ magazine. She also made her acting debut in the 2018 crime thriller film "The Girl in the Spider's Web."
Chelsea Manning
Originally coming into the spotlight for disclosing classified information on WikiLeaks, the former Army intelligence analyst was imprisoned for several years. On the day after her sentencing in 2013, Chelsea Manning's attorney announced her gender and new name. She was released after Barack Obama commuted her 35-year sentence; Manning has remained a public figure through her speaking engagements.
The Wachowski sisters
The Wachowskis are best known as the creators of the "Matrix" films. Lana (right) completed her transition by 2010. This photo is from 2012, before Lilly Wachowski also came out as a transgender woman. They have since co-directed "Sense8," a Netflix science-fiction series that explores issues related to identity, sexuality, gender and politics.