Top 10 Transgender Celebrities

It is no easy feat becoming known as one of the most sought-out models in the world.  After fleeing war in Bosnia, young Andreja settled in peaceful Australia, and was soon discovered by a modeling scout.  Before transitioning in 2013, Pejić was already world-renowned as a top androgynous model, working both the men’s and women’s fashion runways for designers such as Jean-Paul Gaultier and Marc Jacobs.  She has garnered a lot of historic “firsts” for a transgender model, including exclusive cosmetic contracts and fashion magazine covers. 

 

Moving on to a whole different industry, singer-songwriter extraordinaire Teddy Geiger may not seem like a household name to some, but you have definitely heard his work. In the mind 2010s, Geiger mostly focused on writing and producing hits for the likes of One Direction, Shawn Mendes and Tiesto, as well as working on his own pop rock projects.  In October of 2017, Geiger went to Instagram to share with his fans that he had begun transitioning, but hadn’t yet annoucned his preferred name or pronouns.



Actress-model Isis King made her big debut on “America’s Next Top Model” and made quite a splash as the show’s first competing transgender model.  After a rough start, due to disapproval from family, King began transitioning in 2007 and made a name for herself by becoming one of the most important visible transgender personalities on TV.  Her being on a reality show, and therefore living with other contestants, had groups such as GLAAD note that viewers definitely needed to see both the negative and positive reactions she would realistically face in such an environment.  

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Born Christopher Roman, performer Carmen Carrera made it big by appearing in the third season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in 2011.  Although initially identifying as a gay man, the burlesque and drag performer came out as transgender, and began her transitioning by the end of that season. Making a name for herself as a reality TV star, model and actress, Carrera has used her fame as a positive platform, fighting against negative portrayals of the trans community and pushing for more AIDS awareness.

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Filipino superstar Charice became a sensation in the West thanks to YouTube, finally releasing an international album in 2010.  Once called the “most talented girl in the world” by Oprah, Jake Zyrus – then known still as Charice - gained momentum not only as a singer, but as a TV personality.  He starred in reality shows in his native Philippines, performed on “Glee”, and released hit songs written by superstars such as Bruno Mars.  In 2017, Zyrus announced to the world his plans for transitioning, which included dropping the stage-name Charice and changing his name.

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Thanks to the popularity of the Kardashian clan, Caitlyn Jenner’s announcement and transition was probably the most publicised and talked-about that any transgender person has ever experienced. Being that she was an Olympic medalist and public figure since the ‘70s, many people praised Jenner for having the courage to come out later in life. In 2015, she earned her own reality show, “I Am Cait”.  Although not without shock and confusion, the world’s mostly positive reaction and support reflected the fact that we live in a much more inclusive and respectful world today when it comes to LGBTQ visibility.

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Sibling to the more famous David and Patricia Arquette, Alexis was an actor and performer in her own right. Breaking out in 1989 playing a young trans sex-worker in “Last Exit to Brooklyn”, Alexis was always an avid activist and vocal advocate on gender fluidity.  Often performing as a female impersonator, Arquette decided to transition, documenting the experience in the film “Alexis Arquette: She’s My Brother”. She later decided to live as a man again after 2013, claiming that “gender is bullshit”. However, Arquette tragically passed away in 2016, leaving behind a very large and impressive filmography.



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The Wachowskis have the distinction of being Hollywood creative stars, yet somehow succeeding in being very private people. The “Matrix” creators began their careers as the “Wachowski Brothers” and were notorious for shying away from interviews, while rumors of gender reassignment were spreading for years. We are thankful that by 2010, with Lana confirming her transition and her new name, the siblings opened up about their lives and experiences. They then gave the world the diverse and queer-positive series “Sense8”.  In 2016, Lilly announced proudly that she is also a transgender woman.

Chastity Bono was unfortunately the victim of tabloid attacks from a young age; that’s the price you pay for being in the public eye as the child of entertainment power-couple Sonny and Cher.  After being outed as a lesbian, former child star Bono became a voice for the LGBTQ crowd by releasing two tell-all books. It was in 2009 when it was announced that Bono was undergoing female-to-male gender transitioning; he legally changed his name in 2010, and documented everything in the Emmy-nominated documentary “Becoming Chaz”.  Bono continues to be an outspoken human rights advocate and LGBTQ spokesperson, and has begun a career as an actor.

 Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
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Ines Rau
 
Jazz Jennings



Jenna Talackova
 


Exploding onto your streaming platforms in 2013, Laverne Cox is a powerhouse who shows no signs of slowing down. The “Orange is the New Black” star is not only iconic for being the first trans woman of color to have a leading role on TV, but she also made waves for being a trans actress who actually played a realistic and troubled trans character.  Cox was also the first trans woman to hit the cover of Time Magazine and to win an Emmy award as executive producer, all while continuing her work as a strong advocate for LGBTQ rights.

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