Since it is Women’s History Month, it is important to include and highlight all intersections of women. Transwomen continue to be overlooked, so it is important that we highlight transwomen of the past and present who were and are trailblazers. These 5 women have made their mark on society and continue to be an inspiration to millions.
Shane was an American soul, and rhythm and blues singer who emerged in the 1960’s Toronto nightclub scene. She is considered a trailblazing transgender performer and heavily contributed to the Toronto Sound. She is best known for her single, “Any Other Way” which topped the Canadian charts in the sixties. Shane’s career faded in the mid-seventies and made a comeback in the 2010’s when an archived compilation of her music titled “Any Other Way” was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Historical Album. She passed away in her Nashville home on Feb. 21, 2019.
Lees is an English journalist, model, and activist who founded the first British trans magazine META and has written columns for Gay Times and Diva, where she was the first transwoman on the cover. She has also written for publications including The Guardian and Vice. In 2018, she became the first transgender columnist for Vogue. Lees presently works with All About Trans, a project aimed at connecting journalists and trans people. Her career has inspired people everywhere, specifically LGBTQIA+ journalists.
Mock is an American film writer, director, and producer who is well known for the Netflix limited series HOLLYWOOD and MONSTER. She is also a New York Times bestselling author of Redefining Realness and Surpassing Certainty. In 2019, she became the first trans person to sign a production deal with a major studio. In partnership with Netflix, she will create and produce television projects for the studio. Many of her accolades include Harvard University’s Artist of the Year in 2017, being named one of TIME’s 100 most influential people, and being on the cover of many mainstream magazines.
Rocero is a Filipino American supermodel who is the founder of Gender Proud, an organization that “uses media to elevate justice and equality for the transgender community.” She also gave a monumental TED Talk in honor of Transgender Day of Visibility where she came out as transgender.
Cowell was an English engineer and motor-racer turned World War II fighter pilot for the Royal Air Service Corps. After being a prisoner of war, she established an engineering company where she built racing cars. She is also the first known British woman to undergo gender reassignment surgery. She passed away in her London home on Oct. 11, 2011.
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