Cox, Laverne

Laverne Cox is an African American trans actor, model, dancer, and trans rights activist who is one of the most prominent voices within the trans community, especially among trans women of color. This entry briefly chronicles Cox’s early life before discussing her acting career, history of activism, and honors and achievements.

Early Life and Education

Cox was born on May 29, 1972, in Mobile, Alabama, where she and her twin brother (musician and performance artist M Lamar) were raised by their mother and grandmother. From a young age, she was regularly bullied by her peers for being feminine and not fitting into the gender expectations for someone assigned male at birth. When she started having feelings for boys in sixth grade, she did not know how to ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles