The LGBTQ+ community is in a seemingly never-ending battle with society and the government, fighting for their human rights to be respected. Actress, activist and transgender icon Laverne Cox visited the university last Wednesday to speak on these issues.
Counseling Specialist Chase Garza and nursing student Cornelius Sublette introduced Cox, while the audience of more than 1,000 people stood up to cheer.
Due to the Performing Arts Complex having only a 1,000-seat capacity, students who could not be seated were in the lobby of the building watching her speech on televisions.
After her round of thank yous to the students and staff who helped put together the event, she started another round of applause with: “I stand before you this evening a proud, African-American, transgender woman.”
The homicide rate in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning community is highest among trans-women. More than 50 percent of all LGBTQ homicides are trans-women, most of them of color, according to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs.
“Trans people are under attack in this country,” Cox said.
She quoted political activist Cornel West: “Justice is what love looks like in public. That’s good, right?” which led to a list, “Trans and gender non-conforming people could use some justice, some love to take. Poor and working people could use some justice, some love to take. People of color could use some justice, immigrants could use some justice.”
The last two of the list brought up another roar of applause.
“Women and people with disabilities could use some justice, and ain’t I a woman?” Cox said.
She spoke mostly of her experiences growing up, as a child being bullied by fellow students for not conforming to the gender norm, by acting like a girl.
“Whatever that means, because girls act all sorts of ways,” Cox said.
A therapist asked Cox whether she knew the difference between a boy and a girl.
“In my infinite wisdom as a third-grader, I said there is no difference,” Cox said.
That statement was followed by another round of applause.
Through her experiences, she was able to touch on things that trans people go through daily, giving advice on how to get through such experiences, or how to overcome the shame someone can feel.
Asked in an interview who her target audience was when coming down to a predominantly Hispanic area, where tradition is tightly knit as well as religion, Cox replied: “Anyone who wants to hear what I have to say, honest. If folks have decided to come out to hear me speak, there’s something about me that has brought them here. I come here with a lot: I’m an actress, I’m a woman, I’m trans, I’m black, I’m from the South as well, I was raised Christian.
“I come with my story, my message is my story, and so that’s really what I share. I share what I’ve learned, some perspectives I’ve picked up along the way. That’s what I want to share and, hopefully, that’ll inspire someone to live more truthfully.”
During her speech, Cox often brought up the phrase, “Man, woman, both, neither, it’s all good.”
Asked what the phrase meant to her, Cox replied: “For me, it’s about acknowledging non-binary people. It’s really important when we talk about gender that we understand that it exists on a spectrum and that it is all good, no matter how you identify.”
Cox spoke about how she battled the feeling of shame.
“For me, so much of my life, it was the shame stuff,” she said. “Shame will kill you. Shame is linked to addiction, depression, suicide, these things that keep us from surviving. For me, saying, ‘It’s all good, it’s about me.’ I have this message, when I get to stand up and share my story. It’s a reminder to me.”
Cox will star in the CBS show “Doubt,” which premieres Wednesday.
“I’m shooting my new show ‘Doubt,’ so I’ve been doing these talks,” she said. “What’s wonderful to get on the road and meet all these young people is that it’s a reminder to me: You can’t keep it if you don’t give it away.
“I have to love myself more. My gender is OK, and to say that in front of 900 people that I’m not beautiful despite my voice. I watch these videos of me and I’ll think, ‘Oh my God, my voice is so deep,’ and I’ve gotta think to myself, ‘Wait, Laverne, this is beautiful, this is your voice.’ The shame is insidious, baffling and cunning, but it’s a reminder for me. It’s healing for me.”
