Laverne Cox is opening up about the Transgender movement in the powerful new issue of Time. She is best known for playing Litchfield inmate Sophia on Netflix's "Orange is the New Black." Find out what she has to say!
"There's not just one trans story," she tells the publication. "There's not just one trans experience.... not everybody who is born feels that their gender identity is in alignment with what they're assigned at birth, based on their genitalia... That's what people need to understand, that it's okay and that if you are uncomfortable with it, then you need to look at yourself."
Cox explains she was bullied and wants others going through similar battles to know that anything is possible.
"I was bullied and I was called all kinds of names. And now I'm a big TV star! Don't let anything that they say get to you." She exclaimed.
Cox continued, "I tell this story about third grade. My third grade teacher called my mom and said 'Your son is going to end up in New Orleans wearing a dress.' Up until that point I just thought that I was a girl and that there was no difference between girls and boys. I think in my imagination I thought that I would hit puberty and I would start turning into a girl."
The "Orange is the New Black" star shared the exciting news today on her Facebook page.
"What a wonderful bday present! Yes today is my birthday and I am on the cover of @TIME magazine," she wrote. I realize this is way bigger than me and about a tipping point in our nation's history where it is no kinger acceptable for trans lives to be stigmatized, ridiculed, criminalized and disregarded. This is for my trans siblings out there and for anyone who has ever been told that who you know yourself to be at your core is not legitimate. You are who you know yourselves to be. #girlslikeus #whereislavernecox #lavernehive"
We just love her! Do you agree? Sound off in the comments section below!