LAVERNE COX
Laverne Cox is a trans actress and LGBTQ+ advocate. She rose to prominence with her role on the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, becoming the first openly transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in any acting category, and the first to be nominated for an Emmy Award since composer Angela Morley in 1990.In 2015, she won a Daytime Emmy Award in Outstanding Special Class Special as executive producer for Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word, making her the first openly transgender woman to win the award. In 2017, she became the first transgender person to play a transgender series regular on broadcast TV on CBS's Doubt.
Laverne became the first openly transgender person to appear on the covers of TIME magazine and Cosmopolitan magazine. She is also the first openly transgender person to have a wax figure of herself at Madame Tussauds.
Laverne is renowned for her advocacy work for the trans community. She joined a campaign in 2014 against a Phoenix, Arizona law which allows police to arrest anyone suspected of "manifesting prostitution," and which she feels targets transgender women of color, following the conviction of activist (and transgender woman of color) Monica Jones. Cox stated, "All over the country, trans women are targeted simply for being who they are. Laws like this manifestation law really support systematically the idea that girls like me, girls like me and Monica, are less than [others] in this country."
Laverne is a strong advocate for trans representation in media. She released the documentaries “Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word” in 2014”, and “Disclosure” in 2020.
Laverne Cox is a Certified Proud Icon because she is a trailblazer who has remained humbled and dedicated to the cause of trans acceptance.