The 'Orange Is the New Black' actress demands better protections for transgender people worldwide as she calls for an end to violence against the LGBTQ community.
- November 27, 2020
AceShowbiz - Actress Laverne Cox is demanding an end to violence against transgender people worldwide.
The "Orange is the New Black" star, who is transgender herself, has called on authorities to implement better protections for transgender youth in schools and is determined to see the narrative around transphobic violence reframed.
"I would love the media talking about solutions to ending violence against trans people. Helping to improve the material conditions of trans people through employment opportunities and housing could reduce violence against trans people," she tells HuffPost.
"We also need to contextualise violence against trans folks in the context of intimate partner violence. We need to make a world where men being attracted to trans women is no longer deeply stigmatised. This is a huge reason why trans women are dying."
The actress, 48, has also backed an initiative set up by Citi bank to allow transgender and non-binary customers to use their chosen names on their accounts, and is partnering with the corporation to promote their True Name initiative in conjunction with Mastercard. Billed as a first among major banks, the feature was previously only accessible to those who underwent a legal name change.
"When I changed my name legally 20 years ago and received my new ID with my chosen name reflected, it was so empowering," recalls the "Doubt" actress. "I know as a trans person, having ID documents that don’t match who we are can also be a safety issue."
