Authors: Zoe Forster & Yasmin Alameddine

Laverne Cox, a prominent voice in the LGBT community, and star in the Netflix series Orange Is The New Black, spoke at Bailey Hall Friday, September 12th. Laverne talked about her life journey and the barriers she has overcome as an African American transgender women in Hollywood. As she paves the way for other transgender women and all members of the LGBT community, Laverne’s pride and confidence left a mark here at Cornell. These are Laverne’s top 5 most influential and inspiring quotes of the night:

1. “If we want to keep kids safe we should stop being gender police.”

Growing up, Laverne didn’t act the way males should act. Throughout preschool, she was bullied everyday, greeted with words like “sissy” and chased home by kids who wanted to beat her up. She noted that this is because we live by a flawed gender model, with the idea that whatever you are born with, you are. Laverne reminds us that we have to let go of this construct and “let people do what they are supposed to do.”

2. “If you find something you’re passionate about, it’s truly life changing.”

As the bullying continued, Laverne’s shame and guilt only progressed, and she relied on dance as a means of escape. She says that because it gave her something to do, it saved her life. As Cornell students who are constantly overwhelmed with exams and homework, Laverne reminds us that we all need our own outlet, something we’re truly passionate about.

3. “I stand before you as a proud African transgender women.”

Laverne is not only proud, but also confident, friendly and funny. We were truly impressed by her wealth of knowledge about the history and concepts of the gender spectrum model. She cited numerous authors, philosophers and historical figures such as Simone de Beauvoir, Judith Butler, and Sojourner Truth.

4. “As Simone De Bouvoir said, one is not born a woman, one becomes a woman.”  

Laverne’s talk was peppered with literary references. These allusions not only demonstrated how well-read and intellectual she is, but also illustrated her expertise in the subject area after years of poring over novels and papers at Marymount Manhattan College to understand herself and her struggle.

5. “We must remember the story of Islan Nettles.”

Laverne choked up as she recounted the tragic story of 21-year-old transgender Islan Nettles. Nettles was beaten into a coma and later died of her injuries in Harlem, New York. Her assailant attacked her after he found out she was a transgender.