For many people across the nation, the true concept and nature of transgender life still eludes. And despite growing representation of transgender stars in the media, many people just don’t know what questions to ask or what to say about the transgender community, which has been primarily invisible in the public eye until recently. In a new interview with Wendy Williams, transgender celebrity Laverne Cox spoke about that very issue and explained how she personally deals with educating people about transgender life.
During her sit down chat with Cox, Williams smartly asked the “Orange Is The New Black” star to define transgender for her audience.
“Transgender very basically means that the gender you identify as is different than what you were assigned at birth — very simple. Transgender people’s experiences are really different. It’s an individual experience, there’s no one blanket transgender experience. It’s really about listening to individuals in terms of who they are and accepting people on their own terms,” Cox explained.
Williams, who has breast implants of her own, then asked Cox about her breast implants, but Cox respectfully declined to talk about her plastic surgery on camera, saying she doesn’t want to perpetuate the cycle of society always focusing on the cosmetic surgery and genitalia of transgender people.
“Off-camera I can talk to you about it. I’ve chosen not to talk about any of the stuff I’ve gotten done because I think so often when trans people’s experiences are talked about, we far too often focus on surgery and transition, so I don’t talk about that. But I’m very happy with the situation,” Cox said laughing.
However, Williams was able to get Cox to open up about her dating life and her TIME cover. Check out what she had to say after the cut. – nicholas robinson
