Angelica Ross
There’s a lot more to Angelica Ross than meets the eye. Not only is she an actress and a transgender rights advocate, but she has also created her own tech company, TransTech Social Enterprise. This talented personality has been a real trailblazer in the world of tech.
For a start, she is completely self-taught in code and has been using her skills to empower other trans people in the tech community. Ross made her acting debut in the web series “Her Story” in 2016. Her excellent performance quickly opened up the doors to more opportunities, such as shows like “Pose” and “American Horror Story.”
Harmony Santana
Harmony Santana's breakthrough came with her remarkable role in the 2011 film "Gun Hill Road," propelling her into the limelight. Her exceptional performance garnered a lot of critical acclaim and earned her a prestigious Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, a groundbreaking achievement as the first trans-woman to receive such recognition.
What adds depth to Santana's journey is the fact that she resided in Green Chimneys, a group home for LGBTQ youth in Manhattan, during the film's production. This experience fueled her passion to become an advocate for homeless youth and a staunch opponent of bullying. And she's just getting started.
Zackary Drucker
Zackary Drucker, a prominent multi-media artist, has made waves in the art world with her captivating works showcased across prestigious galleries, museums, and film festivals. Her artistic brilliance has graced renowned platforms such as the Whitney Biennial, MoMA PS1, Hammer Museum, Art Gallery of Ontario, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego, among others.
Beyond her artistic endeavors, Drucker has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry as well. Her expertise as a script consultant contributed significantly to the acclaimed series "Transparent." In 2015, she also played a pivotal role in the Caitlyn Jenner docu-series on E!, showcasing her versatile talents. Continuing her impact, seven years later, Drucker made a captivating appearance in the Canadian documentary "Framing Agnes," further solidifying her artistic legacy.
Alexandra Billings
Alexandra Billings played the beloved Davina (Maura's bestie and mentor) on the hit show "Transparent." The actress is the second openly transgender woman to have played a trans role on TV. Before that, she appeared in the TV movie "Romy and Michele: In the Beginning," "ER," Eli Stone, "How to Get Away with Murder," and "Grey’s Anatomy."
But there is plenty of things that Billings has achieved outside of the world of acting. For example, she is a major advocate for LGBTQ rights and HIV awareness. In 2016 she received the Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award, an award annually given to esteemed members of the LGBTQ community.
Christine Jorgensen
Christine Jorgensen is considered to be the first person to undergo gender reassignment surgery in history. The Bronx native left to pursue a degree as soon as her military service was done in the year 1945. It was during this time that she learned about transitioning genders.
The student then left for Denmark, the only country at the time to be performing surgeries of this sort. There she also began hormone treatment. Her return to New York was met with mad fascination, throwing her in the spotlight, a position Jorgensen wasn't always happy with, but with her charisma and wit, the trans-icon charmed America and gave a face to the movement.