BARING ALL

Laverne Cox poses nude to demolish myth that Black & Trans women aren’t beautiful

Laverne Cox poses nude: Actress Laverne Cox wears Donna Karan at Go Red for Women-The Heart Truth Red Dress Collection at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center on February 12, 2015 in New York City.

When Laverne Cox finally agreed to pose for Allure magazine’s annual nude issue, she was shedding more than just her clothing. The Orange Is The New Black star came to see the shoot as an opportunity to defy the narrative that black women and trans women aren’t beautiful.

“I said no initially, thought about it, and said no again,” Cox recalls. “But I’m a black transgender woman. I felt this could be really powerful for the communities that I represent.”

“Black women are not often told that we’re beautiful unless we align with certain standards,” she added. “Trans women certainly are not told we’re beautiful.”

“Seeing a black transgender woman embracing and loving everything about her body might be inspiring for some folks. There’s a beauty in the things we think are imperfect. It sounds very cliché, but it’s true.”

“Going through life you try to cover and hide but it doesn’t really work.”

We think you look gorgeous, Laverne.

Here’s one shot from the spread:

PHOTOGRAPHY BY NORMAN JEAN ROY

Since her spread in Vogue, Laverne has maintained her trajectory as a trans trailblazer in the entertainment world. Her role in Orange Is the New Black earned her an Emmy Award nomination. That made her the first transgender person nominated in an acting category!

Beyond her career in Hollywood, Cox has remained a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, using her social platforms to amplify marginalized voices. Laverne also executive produced Netflix‘s documentary series Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen, further solidifying her commitment to transgender representation on the big screen.

Laverne Cox’s star power shines as bright as ever – for more dazzling updates, subscribe to the Queerty newsletter!

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