SPILL THE T

Laverne Cox Will Take TV Viewers Inside The Lives Of Transgender Young People

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A case could be made to name Laverne Cox the busiest lady in show biz. Besides her recurring Emmy-nominated role as on the hit Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, Cox is a welcome presence on late night talk shows, in music videos, at fundraising events and even in pride parades. Now, continuing to show why she earned that Time magazine cover, the actress-activist has exec-produced Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word, which offers TV viewers an unvarnished glimpse into the lives of seven transgender youth from all over the U.S. and who range in age from 12 to 24. Each of the subjects “will share their determination to live their lives authentically, as the person they are meant to be.”

The doc is said to examine “transgender identities and race through each individual’s journey as they overcome challenges such as coming out, bullying, and anti-transgender violence.”

The T Word will premiere simultaneously on Logo and MTV on October 17 at 7 p.m.

“For many of us, the ‘T’ in LGBT means more than transgender, it also means truth,” Cox said in a statement. “The cast members in this documentary are fearlessly living their truths and in sharing their stories will send the message to other trans youth that it’s okay to be who you are.”

Profiled in the documentary are the following trans folk:

• Ari, an 18-year-old man from Manhattan, who graduated from high school and is starting college.

• Avery, a 20-year-old woman from Queens, New York, who shares her experiences dating.

• Daniella, a 20-year-old woman from the Bronx, New York, who speaks out against anti-transgender violence.

• Kye, a 24-year-old man in Brooklyn, New York, who became the first Division One transgender basketball player.

• L’lerret, a 20-year-old woman attending college in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she is an active member of BreakOUT!, a group fighting criminalization of transgender youth.

• Shane, a 22-year-old man from Baltimore, Maryland and a college student living with his girlfriend.

• Zoey, a 12-year-old girl from California, who is supported by her mother and transferred out of her last school when the school administrators refused to acknowledge her as a girl.

Immediately after the premiere, Cox will host the hour-long Trans Forum, in which she and the people featured in the doc talk about issues that affect the trans community, plus questions from a live audience and via social media.

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