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Laverne, Surely

I Want to Work for Diddy alum Laverne Cox leads a trio of transgender ladies in VH1’s Transform Me, a new makeover show that flatters her hooker-heavy résumé.


LAVERNE COX TRANSFORM MAIN X390 (VH1) | ADVOCATE.COM

A breakout star from season 1 of the VH1 reality show I Want to Work for Diddy, Laverne Cox returns to the network in Transform Me, a makeover series based on an original concept she pitched with her production company, Complete World Domination. Transform Me, which premieres March 15, follows Cox and fellow transgender fashionistas Jamie Clayton and Nina Poon across the country as they offer their makeover subjects much more than meets the eye. Cox, who transcends the unattractive tribulations that have dogged trans actresses of color, explains why she’s never tried to pass as anything but cute.

The Advocate: When it comes to giving makeovers, what advantages do trans women have over biological females?
Laverne Cox: Not all transgender women are into style and beauty, but the three of us — Nina, Jamie, and I — are all immersed in clothes and fashion. But it’s really more about having a vision about who you are and projecting that vision outward. We always knew who we were on the inside, but as transgender women, that wasn’t always reflected on the outside. I don’t want to say that we have an edge, but because we’ve been so meticulous about making our outsides match our insides, we feel we do have a different perspective.

Each man on the Queer Eye makeover team brought his own individual expertise to the mix. As for your Transform Me costars, Jamie is a successful makeup artist and Nina is a fashion expert and model. What do you bring to the makeover table?
I deal with what’s going on on the inside. It’s always been my belief that if we let ourselves go or if we’re stuck in a rut aesthetically, there’s something psychological or emotional that’s keeping us from making a change. If you don’t deal with the root of the problem, changing somebody’s hair and makeup doesn’t make a difference. Much of my own transformation has been about more than the outside; it’s been about letting go of the old, bad notions I had about myself.

Did you and the other two ladies get along or were there any catfights off-camera?
It’s amazing how many people ask that! People always assume a cast of women is fighting — and they’re hoping for it. No, we all love each other and have known each other for years. We’re so happy and grateful to have this opportunity to not only impact the lives of each woman we make over but also hopefully impact lives across the country.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: JK
    Date posted: 3/16/2010 3:32:50 PM
    Hometown: NJ

    Comment:

    Lee, "saying "biological female" invariably implies that transwomen are somehow non-biological" But cicgendered is not something that is catching on in the Transgendered world or even the real world nor do I think it should. She is a female pure and simple and should be written about as a female because she is one. Biology is not destiny and gender is not black & white like so many think. Can't wait to see the taped version on the show when I get home.

  • Name: Michael H.
    Date posted: 3/16/2010 3:00:21 PM
    Hometown: New York, NY

    Comment:

    Laverne Cox is so cool - I wish her continued success!

  • Name: Lee
    Date posted: 3/16/2010 12:07:20 PM
    Hometown: seattle

    Comment:

    Hopefully The Advocate and other media will learn to stop using the pejorative phrase 'biological female" in favor of the more accurate "Cisgender" or "Cissexual' female to indicate people who are non-trans. I wish that more trans people themselves would start using 'cis' as well. While few people intend anything harmful by saying it, saying "biological female" invariably implies that transwomen are somehow non-biological, or that there is an actual "essence" of biological sex and gender, and ultimately that biological means "real," anything else, fake. Cisgender, however, simply means those who remain and identify as the gender they were assigned as birth. Its a little prefix that makes a HUGE difference not only in terms of respecting transpeople's dignity, but also for accuracy's sake.

  • Name: George
    Date posted: 3/15/2010 8:13:09 PM
    Hometown: Atlanta

    Comment:

    Okay, now the title was really clever. *props*

  • Name: Chris Daley
    Date posted: 3/15/2010 6:46:46 PM
    Hometown: Indianapolis

    Comment:

    Laverne is a treasure! Can't wait for the show.



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