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Laverne Cox and Ricky Martin speak to USA TODAY about the Pride Month commemoration at the Black Lives Matter protests.
Actress Laverne Cox is “definitely in shock” and “triggered” but OK after a transphobic attack while walking with a friend in a park.
Cox, 48, shared in a live Instagram video on Saturday that she and a male friend were walking around Griffith Park in Los Angeles earlier in the day when a man “very aggressively” requested the hour. Cox’s friend told him what time it was, after which the man asked, “Guy or girl?”
Her friend, realizing that the man was referring to Cox, told her to “(swear)” and the man started hitting her friend, she recalls. The actress and her friend, whom she wanted to keep anonymous, believed the man wanted Cox to answer her questions so he could assess “whether I’m trans or not.”
Cox said she pulled out her phone to call 911, but “all of a sudden it’s over and the guy is gone” so she didn’t call the police.
Cox is one of Hollywood’s most notable transgender actresses, known for her role in “Orange is the New Black”, and has dedicated her career to promoting the well-being of trans people on and off the planet. screen.
“This guy was looking for trouble… because I was a trans person in public,” she says. “That’s all I felt. It doesn’t shock me – obviously it’s my life. I’ve dealt with this a lot, but it never fails to be shocking, I guess … j I’ve been trans My whole life I’ve been bullied and bullied my whole life None of this is new, but it’s still kind of like … why do you need to be aggressive ? ”
She added, “If it doesn’t matter who you are. You can be, like, Laverne Cox, whatever that means. If you’re trans you’re going to experience things like that.”
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The two were physically fine but were in shock and Cox wondered if she should have recorded the incident, or if there was anything she could have done to prevent it from happening in the first place.
“I started to blame myself,” she says. “We were walking in the park. We weren’t doing anything. I think it’s important to remind myself and remind you that when these things happen it’s not your fault. It isn’t your fault. ‘there are people who are not cool with you world. ”
A record number of transgender and gender non-conforming people have been killed by violence this year: The Campaign for Human Rights has recorded at least 39 deaths in 2020 as of November 24, although the organization notes that this number is likely higher due to those unreported or poorly sexist in media or police reports.
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“It’s just – it’s not safe in the world,” Cox said. “I don’t like to think about it too much, but it’s the truth and it’s not sure if you’re a trans person.”
The actress said she was grateful for walking with her friend, who quickly realized he had to step in to protect her.
“He was like, ‘Yeah, I’ve been in public with trans people before and that never happened,’” Cox said. “I was like, ‘Yeah, that happened to me a lot.’ It doesn’t always get physical, but yes. I have a long history of street harassment in New York City. “
She added: “I don’t know why this is important. At the end of the day it’s like who cares? I’m wearing a hoodie and yoga pants, completely covered, I have my mask. Who cares if I’m trans? Why is this affecting your life? “
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