In honor of Transgender Day of Visibility, we’re highlighting the significant contributions and resilience of transgender individuals across various fields. From groundbreaking achievements in science and technology to advocacy for equality and representation, these individuals have made notable impacts on society.
Did you know?
Michael Dillon (1915-1962) was the first person in the world to transition from through hormones and surgery. Michael was from an aristocratic English family, and attended Oxford University. Before his transition, he led the women’s rowing team to many victories in the 1930s. Afterwards, he became a doctor in the British Navy, and a published author. His autobiography, Out of the Ordinary, was published in 2016.
Learn More
Lynn Conway sparked the very large scale integration (VLSI) revolution in computing, which led to the silicon chip that runs all of our electronics today. She began her transition in 1968, became the full self she was meant to be, and transformed the technology we use today. She was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2023.
Learn More
In 2021, Dr. Rachel Levine became America’s highest-ranking, openly transgender government official. She is the first to be confirmed by the Senate — as assistant secretary for health in the Department of Health and Human Services. She is also the first female four-star admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
Learn More
Carter Brown is the founder, president and national director of Black Transmen, Inc., the first national nonprofit founded for the empowerment, advocacy, and equality for Black trans men. One of his most recent achievements was testifying before Congress in support of amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964, to include protection for all trans people under law.
One of the first and most widely known trans celebrities is actress Laverne Cox, who played Sophia on Netflix’s series Orange Is the New Black. She’s the first transgender performer nominated for an Emmy for her work. Laverne is also a prominent LGBTQ+ activist and advocate, who returned to her alma mater, Indiana University to give a speech, “Ain’t I a Woman,” which urges that we educate ourselves and others, and combat misconceptions about the transgender community.
Brian Michael Smith is famous for his roles in Queen Sugar and 9-1-1 Lone Star, where he became the first openly transgender Black actor on broadcast television. He also made People Magazine’s list for “The Sexiest Man Alive” in 2021!
Learn More
Transgender astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History, Rebecca Oppenheimer says, “Being a boy or a girl is not what matters in life. Being human does.” She studies exoplanets, the planets orbiting stars other than our Sun. She co-discovered the first “brown dwarf” – the first object observed that’s smaller than a star outside our solar system!
Learn More
Together, let’s continue to uplift transgender voices, advocate for equality, and foster a society that embraces diversity in all its forms!