21 Trans Icons You Should Know on Transgender Day of Visibility
| 03/31/23
For Trans Day of Visibility, These Are 21 Trans Icons That Deserve Your Attention
For this year's Transgender Day of Visibility, we want to highlight the trans people who are making splashes in film, television, activism, and politics. Here are some of the icons who are paving the way for trans people and trans rights amid a barrage of anti-transgender laws being passed around the country.
These icons are showing off their trans joy for the world to see.
Leigh Finke
Leigh Finke became the first openly trans person to serve as a Minnesota state legislator. Recently, she has been working to push bills through the House of Representatives that would make Minnesota a refuge for trans youth.
Kylar Broadus
Attorney and trans rights activist Kylar Broadus made history when he became the first openly trans person to testify in front of the United States Senate. Broadus is currently head of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's Transgender Civil Rights Project.
Ethel Cain
Ethel Cain is a trans American singer-songwriter whose 2022 debut studio album, Preacher's Daughter, won widespread critical acclaim. It even earned her a spot on Barack Obama's "Favorite Music of 2022" list.
Trace Lysette
Trace Lysette came out as trans through her starring role on the hit television series Transparent. Most recently, she played the lead in Monica, a stirring LGBTQ+ drama set for a limited US release in May.
Suzy Izzard
Legendary British comedian Suzy Eddie Izzard announced her new feminine name to the public in early March. Izzard is also campaigning for a seat in Parliament for the U.K. Labour Party.
Pete MacHale
English actor Pete MacHale has recently been tapped to join the cast of Doctor Who. He will be the first trans man to star on the show since its premiere in 1963.
Zaya Wade
Model, activist, and daughter of NBA star Dwayne Wade, Zaya Wade came out publicly in 2019 at 12 years old. This March, she made made her runway debut for Miu Miu at Paris Fashion Week.
Elliot Page
The Umbrella Academy star and celebrated actor Elliot Page came out as transgender in December of 2020. The announcement came in the form of a stirring open letter shared on Instagram.
Dylan Mulvaney
Dylan Mulvaney is an actor and TikTok sensation known for her "Days of Girlhood" video series. She recently celebrated her 365th day of girlhood with a dazzling variety show in NYC.
Chase Strangio
Chase Strangio is one of the American Civil Liberties Union's foremost lawyers. Much of his work centers on transgender rights, including battling anti-trans state legislation. In 2020, he was featured as one of Time's 100 most influential people.
Marquise Vilsón
Marquise Vilsón is an actor, activist, and member of the legendary House of Balenciaga. He has won numerous awards for his trans activism and sexual health advocacy. His experience is featured in a documentary film called The Agressives.
Laverne Cox
For her performance on Orange Is the New Black, Laverne Cox became the first out transgender person to earn a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. She has since appeared in films like Promising Young Woman and the Netflix series Inventing Anna.
Mia Yamamoto
Born in a Japanese-American internment camp during World War II, Mia Yamamota is a trailblazing trans criminal defense attorney with a long track record of activism and advocacy.
Lauren Auder
Lauren Auder is a British-French performing artist who worked as a producer before making her solo debut. Her third and latest EP, 5 Songs for the Dysphoric, released in February 2021.
Rachel Levine
Rachel Levine was appointed as assistant secretary for health in the United States Department of Health and Human Services by President Joe Biden in February 2021, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in the following month. She is the first openly transgender person to hold an office that requires Senate confirmation.
Leyna Bloom
In 2021, Leyna Bloom made waves in the modeling world by becoming the first transgender woman to grace the cover of the the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Janet Mock
The multi-talented Janet Mock writes, directs, and produces for FX's ballroom culture series, Pose, becoming the first trans woman of color to work as a writer for a TV show. She also authored the New York Times bestselling memoir Redefining Realness.
Kim Petras
For her hit song "Unholy" with Sam Smith, pop star Kim Petras became the very first openly transgender singer to win a Grammy award for best pop duo or group performance.
Indya Moore
Actor and model Indya Moore plays a central role in the FX series Pose, for which she has won much acclaim. Moore is also set to appear in the upcoming DC superhero film Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Laura Jane Grace
Laura Jane Grace founded the legendary punk rock band Against Me! in 1997. She'll be performing her anarchist and trans anthems on tour throughout April and May.
Andrea Jenkins
Andrea Jenkins was elected president of the Minneapolis City Council in 2022, making her the first out transgender person to hold such a post in the U.S. She has been a council member since 2017 and was previously vice president. She was the first trans person elected to a major city's governing body and one of the first out trans people of color elected to any office in the nation.
