TRANS* “FIRSTS”

Lana Wachowski, director of the Matrix films, came out recently as a trans* woman. She is the first openly trans* director.

In the spirit of that, I thought I’d mention a few other firsts. (I use “trans*” because I don’t have specific quotes from the people as how they identify. Also, I know little about some of these people and their politics/opinions/histories. I just know that they are firsts, and that’s what’s being celebrated here.)

1. Georgina Beyer, New Zealand. First trans* Member of Parliament and world’s first trans* mayor. 

2. Candis Cayne, USA. First trans* actress to play a recurring trans* character on prime time TV. 

3. Amanda Simpson, USA. First openly trans* woman political appointee in any administration. 

4. Dana International, Israel. First trans* person to win the Eurovision Song Contest. 

5. Lucas Silviera, Canada. First open trans* man lead singer of a band signed by a major record label. 

6. Kye Allums, USA. First trans* man to play NCAA Division I basketball. He was scholarship athlete on the George Washington University Female Basketball Team and came out as male.

7. Kylar Broadas, USA. First trans* person to testify before the Senate (and about gender-based employment discrimination, too!)