Two big things happened yesterday in actress Laverne Cox’s life: She was nominated for an Emmy for her role on Orange is the New Black, and she made history. Cox is now the first openly transgender person to ever be up for nomination.
Way to go, Laverne.
Like many actresses, being up for one of the biggest television awards has always been a dream. In an interview with E! Online, she expressed her excitement at this dream come true. “I dreamed big and wild my whole life. And getting an Emmy nomination is one of the dreams,” says Cox. “But I honestly can’t believe it. It’s really happening.”
And even though Cox is more than thrilled by the honor—and potential award—she definitely recognizes that the fight for equality within the transgender community, still has a long way to go. “I love being an actor and I love doing what I do, but I also want to make a difference in the world,” says Cox. “It’s important to remember that just because this one trans woman is having a lovely career high, it’s still a state of emergency for trans people all over the country. There were for trans women murdered in the month of June…I am enjoying this, but there still work to be done for our community.”