Dr.Rachel Levine
Dr. Rachel Levine’s remarkable accomplishments extend far beyond her role as a pediatrics doctor. In an extraordinary display of versatility and dedication, she ascended to the prestigious rank of four-star admiral and currently serves as the esteemed Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Health.
Her awe-inspiring resume boasts achievements that would leave any job recruiter astounded. Notably, Dr. Levine stands as a trailblazer, being among the select few openly transgender officials in the United States Government. Her historic appointment in 2021 marked a groundbreaking milestone, as she became the first openly transgender individual to be sworn in by the United States Senate.
Candy Darling
Candy Darling was like a Golden Cinema starlet. Born James Lawrence Slattery on November 24, 1944. Raised in Long Island, New York, Candy got her start in cinema, starring in a string of films such as "Women Revolt," "Silent Night," "Bloody Night," and "Flesh." Of course, back then, revealing one's transgender identity was almost unheard of, and the world was far less forgiving.
The actress went on to forge a successful showbiz career. In fact, Candy Darling was one of the most prominent pop artists and filmmakers of that time. Andy Warhol took a liking to her and, as she was one of his repertory performers, appeared in two of his films. Unfortunately, at the tender age of 29, Candy's life ended.
Zach Barack
If you're a Spider-Man fan, specifically the Tom Holland reboot version, then you'll recognize Zach Barack's smile from a mile away! Zach is a trans-male actor whose most known for his role as Zach (what are the chances?) in the mega box-office hit "Spiderman: Far from Home."
Of course, Peter Parker had a whole group of high school kids to contend with in that movie, and he was one of them. Not only is Zach a budding actor, but he's a talented singer and comedian as well. PLUS, he's the first openly trans actor to be cast in the Marvel cinematic universe. Talk about a trail-blazing triple threat! Phew.
Isis King
"America's Next Top Model" is a controversial reality show, to say the least. However, a silver lining of the program is that it provided a platform for models, who previously would not get the same mainstream exposure or notoriety, the ability to do so. That was the case for Isis King.
She was the first trans-woman to compete on the show and helped to pave the way in normalizing the destigmatizing transpeople appearing in mainstream media. Since then her career has skyrocketed to include successful modeling and acting career. Most notably, she appeared in the critically acclaimed film "When They See Us."
Sophie Xeon
Some musicians don't get a chance to see the incredible legacy they left behind. Here is a prime example. The late electronic music performer and producer Sophie Xeon is widely regarded as a pioneer of electronic pop music by critics and peers alike.
Along with the release of her song "It's OK to Cry" in 2017, she revealed her transgender identity with the release of her song. Her 2018 album "Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides" was nominated for a Grammy award for "Best Dance/Electronic Album" solidifying her impact on pop music. Sadly, she passed away on the 30th of January 2021.