Ever since "Orange is the New Black" premiere on Netflix in 2013, the show has become a landmark for the LGBT community, as the female-centric prison series will often tackle subjects involving major issues for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals - including Laverne Cox's "OItNB" casting.
Since Laverne Cox's "OItNB" casting, the actress has become one of the world's biggest activists for transsexual rights, being trans herself and having gone through gender reassignment a few years back, so it's hardly a surprise that she speaks out about the recent Caitlyn Jenner introduction as the "Keeping up with the Kardashians" star posed for the cover of Vanity Fair to celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz.
According to website BoingBoing, Laverne Cox from "OItNB" took to her Tumblr earlier this week to compliment Caitlyn Jenner's brave photo shoot in the magazine, also expressing joy at the overwhelmingly positive reaction she has received.
However, Laverne Cox from "OItNB" made one thing clear: the fight is far from being over for trans people, as she recognizes that both Jenner and herself have achieved a certain level of privilege absent from most trans men and women - particularly as the "beauty" in both Cox and Jenner adheres to "cisgender standards," which is to say, beauty canons directed at those who are born in the gender they feel they match.
"There are many trans folks because of genetics and/or lack of material access who will never be able to embody these standards," said Laverne Cox from "OitNB" on her official Tumblr. "More importantly many trans folks don't want to embody them and we shouldn't have to be seen as ourselves and respected as ourselves. It is important to note that these standards are also informed by race, class and ability among other intersections. I have always been aware that I can never represent all trans people. No one or two or three trans people can."
In other related news, Laverne Cox from "OItNB" was also recently in a magazine cover, Essence, along her black co-stars from the critically acclaimed Netflix show.
