Josie Totah
Josie began her acting career at a young age, and her first roles were as a male character. In 2016, her performance as Michael Lovette in Back in the Game earned her the distinction of being named one of Variety’s Sundance Breakout Stars of the Year. It was in August 2018 that she came out as a transgender woman in an article she published in Time magazine. She wrote in an article, “In the past, I’ve halfway corrected people by telling them I identify as LGBTQ. I wasn’t ready to be more specific. I was afraid I wouldn’t be accepted, that I would be embarrassed, that the fans who knew me from the time when I acted in a Disney show would be confused. But I realized over the past few years that hiding my true self is not healthy. I know now, more than ever, that I’m finally ready to take this step toward becoming myself. I’m ready to be free.”
Josie Totah
Janet Mock
Janet is best known for her work in front of the camera as a director, producer, and author, but she also writes. The FX series Pose marks her debut as the first trans woman of color hired as a writer on a network television series. In 2013, she was named to Out magazine’s annual list of the “most compelling people of the year.” 2014 saw her named to The Advocate’s annual “40 Under 40” list, and then to their “50 Most Influential LGBT People in Media” list, both of which were published the following year.
Janet Mock
