Transgender Pioneers

In 2013, Orange Is the New Black began captivating audiences with its cast of female characters representing diverse strata of society. Perhaps no star on the show has inspired as much as Laverne Cox, who plays the black transgender inmate Sophia Burset. Cox's work, both as an actor and off-screen, has brought attention to the risks faced by vulnerable populations, particularly racial minority transgender individuals. This biography documents Cox's triumphant life and work as an activist, documenting her own growth from troubling times she recalls as a teenager to becoming the first openly transgender actor nominated for an Emmy.