Laverne Cox joined Bob the Drag Queen and Peppermint on the Black Queer Town Hall podcast to celebrate trans joy and life as an advocate and activist during this turbulent political and social climate.

“All the people who are dehumanizing us are dehumanizing themselves. So I am insisting on my humanity and the humanity of other people,” Cox told Bob and Peppermint. “I’m insisting on the humanity of immigrants, of people with the capacity for pregnancy, of Black and brown people, of poor and working people, of trans folks, non-binary people. I’m insisting on everyone’s humanity and really trying to be as intentional as possible with the way I live my life and the language I use to never deny someone of their humanity and push with everything I have against that to re-humanize people.”

Cox talks about how a person’s biological sex wasn’t a term used in law until 2016, saying that “it was used to discriminate against trans people.” She also added that supposed allies “really need to step up” and not be afraid to support trans people and queer people as a whole because “they [the far-right] want to make people scared to support us.”

“[T]hey want to make them [allies] afraid and frightened, and they have been afraid and frightened. And so this is the time to have courage,” she said.

Next steps on going against extremism

Cox also said that as for next steps when fighting back against the rising tide of extremism, we should “stay present…we shouldn’t catastrophize, we should stay in the present moment and what is the right next action.”

“…We have to be all hands on deck in terms of community, and being there for each other right now in ways that will hopefully bring us closer and seeing the humanity in each other,” she said…Everyone within the sound of my voice has work to do to build resilience around shame and trauma and scarcity.”

The latest episode of Black Queer Town Hall is out now on YouTube.

Hosted by Bob and Peppermint, Back Queer Town Hall is a podcast highlighting Black queer voices by discussing pertinent issues to Black queer Americans and celebrating Black queer joy. According to the podcast’s description, Black Queer Town Hall “is a platform committed to celebrating excellence by cultivating community, sharing knowledge, and uplifting voices in culture.”

Black Queer Town Hall

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