Valentina Sampaio
Valentina Sampaio was born in a place you have probably never heard of – a small fishing community in Ceará, Brazil. Her father was, as you’d expect, a fisherman. Despite growing up in a secluded village in 1996, by the age of eight, she was already told by her psychologist that she might be trans.
Valentina has transitioned and broken countless records. She was the first openly trans model to appear in a Victoria’s Secret show and a “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.” She has booked so many modeling jobs it’s hard to keep track of them all. Like many on this list, she advocates for the trans community whenever she can.
Abigail Thorn
Abigail Thorn is the woman behind the insightful YouTube channel Philosophy Tube. As the title suggests, the channel is aimed at explaining Philosophical concepts in an entertaining and approachable way. As a Philosophy graduate, she started her channel in protest of tuition fees tripling themselves in the UK in 2012. Her channel gained both popularity and critical acclaim, but all this time, there was a secret she was keeping.
In 2021, Thorn surprised everyone by uploading a video titled “Identity: A Trans Coming Out Story,” in which she discussed philosophy, of course, but also told the world she is a transgender woman. Unlike many other trans YouTube who document their transition, Abigail actually hid hers for a year, making her reveal as a woman truly spectacular.
Natalie Wynn
Like many celebrities and people who are staying relevant in this day and age, Natalie Wynn has gained fame on YouTube. Natalie makes hour-long videos about politics, gender, and ethics. Her videos always feature incredible costumes as well as elaborate sets. Seriously, many of her videos look like a Hollywood production.
Natalie first declared that she was non-binary, but in 2017 she came out as a transgender woman and started her transition. In 2020, she came out again. True to form, she came out as a lesbian in an hour-long YouTube video titled “Shame.” Of course, that is nothing to feel shame about.
Indya Moore
The gorgeous Indya Moore prefers to be referred to as they. Moore is both an actor and a model and is known for playing Angel Evangelista on the TV show “Pose.” The show's success has put Indya on the map. They have numerous modeling campaigns under their belt. Most notably, they have been the face of the luxurious brand Louis Vuitton.
Moore grew up in the Bronx and was kicked out of their childhood home at age 14 for being trans. As a black trans person coming from poverty, they have found a way to become an incredibly successful activist and actor. They are truly living the American dream.
Jazz Jennings
Jazz was born in 2000 and is one of the youngest people to have ever come out as trans. This is to say that by 2007, Jazz was already giving interviews about being trans, including a very famous one with Barbara Walters. Jennings was diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria at the tender age of 5.
After publically coming out at age 7, she became an advocate for LGBT rights. Jazz and her parents founded the “TransKids Purple Rainbow Foundation” to help trans youth. If that's not enough, she also stars in a reality show called “I Am Jazz.” The show follows Jazz and documents her experiences as a trans teen.