Transgender persons are now more easily celebrating their identities in Hollywood, according to the number of transgenders working in the business.
“It’s a revolution,” transgender film director Rain Valdez told ABC News, calling the changing culture in Hollywood a movement. “It’s exciting to me that we’re finally asking for our seat at the table, to tell our stories because no one can tell them better than we can,” Valdez said.
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Alexandra Billings, Trace Lysette, Alexandra Grey and Rain Valdez grace our cover to discuss the importance of Transparent, and the work that still needs to be done for true trans liberation.
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“Hollywood has a huge influence on how society and culture are shaped, which is why authentic representation matters. We need to be humanized in the eyes of society,” Valdez also said.
Transgender Silas Howard began as a largely unknown director of independent films, but is now directing episodes of hit TV shows like “The Fosters,” “This Is Us,” and “Transparent.” Howard is also directing a film about a set of parents coming to terms with their child being transgender, starring Claire Danes, Jim Parsons and Octavia Spencer among other famous actors and actresses.
“It’s a big shift,” Howard told ABC. “We’re seeing so much talent. We are seeing shows that are told from the ground up. It is so authentic and it is so universal and that’s an exciting thing to witness.”
The CW’s TV show “Supergirl” recently announced its first transgender superhero who will also be played by a transgender person.
Scarlett Johansson abdicated herself from playing the role of a transgender character in an upcoming film, following backlash largely from the transgender community.
“I’ve learned a lot from the community since making my first statement about my casting and realize it was insensitive,” she said, CNN reported. “I have great admiration and love for the trans community and am grateful that the conversation regarding inclusivity in Hollywood continues.” (RELATED: Woman Decides To Become A Man. Now She’s Accused OF ‘Mansplaining’ And ‘Male Heterosexual Privilege’)
Barriers still exist for transgender actresses and actors, however, according to black trans actor Alexandra Grey. “Even with all these great wonderful things, as a black trans actor, I don’t feel like I’ve really had a chance,” Grey told ABC.
Grey has starred in Amazon’s “Transparent” and NBC’s TV medical drama “Chicago Med.”
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