James Nichols, The Huffington Post
July 23, 2014

2014 has been quite the year for Laverne Cox -- and it seems to just keep getting better.

The transgender activist and "Orange Is The New Black" star stopped by The View this week to talk about the hit Netflix series, as well her position as the most prominent voice for the mainstream transgender community. At one point during the discussion, Whoopi Goldberg brought up how, as the first transgender activist to gain this level of notoriety, Cox had to take the "slings and arrows" of the critics.

More (video included): http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/23/laverne-cox-the-view_n_5614049.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices

Quote from: skin on July 23, 2014, 09:14:46 PM
JThe transgender activist and "Orange Is The New Black" star stopped by The View this week to talk about the hit Netflix series, as well her position as the most prominent voice for the mainstream transgender community.

Am I the only one bothered by this?

She doesn't speak for me. Her experience is very different from mine (and just about any other trans person I know). Doesn't it trouble anyone that there are NO OTHER VOICES out there, so that our most prominent spokesperson ends up being someone whose chief responsibility is to drum up viewers for her TV show?

It bothers me greatly that there are few out there, but that doesn't make me ungrateful for the few we have.

I suppose I'll have to get off my d*** a** and do it myself.

No, really, as soon as I get my head into a space where I can reasonably be a credit to all of us I intend to put myself out there. I think others will, too. But as much as we want to put ourselves out there we still need someone to give us a soapbox to stand on.

I absolutely adore Laverne. I love the fact that whenever she speaks, she always touches on real issues, real struggles, doesn't even talk about her that much, as much as she tries to highlight what we may struggle with and how others can help us. She really gets right into it. Amazing!

Quote from: suzifrommd on July 24, 2014, 08:41:18 AM
Am I the only one bothered by this?

She doesn't speak for me. Her experience is very different from mine (and just about any other trans person I know). Doesn't it trouble anyone that there are NO OTHER VOICES out there, so that our most prominent spokesperson ends up being someone whose chief responsibility is to drum up viewers for her TV show?

Considering most transgender people would rather go stealth and not attract attention to their past self, I'm surprised there's even voices out there. If we want to be more visible in the media or have progress made on our rights and privileges, some people have to make the sacrifice of outing themselves and not many are willing to do that.