Dominique Jackson is currently killing it as Elektra Abundance on Ryan Murphy’s latest hit series Pose, which is making history with its cast of fantastic transgender actresses.
The series, which features fantastic writing and directing from Janet Mock, explores New York City’s downtown ball scene in the 1980s, the luxury of the times, and the social and literary world of the era. The show also tackles topics that are still relevant today like race, the issues facing the transgender community, and the AIDS crisis that devastated the community.
But, before Jackson appeared on the series, she and Rachel Bluebond-Langner, MD, Perlmutter Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at NYU Langone, spoke to ESSENCE about transgender health and the importance of gender-affirming surgery.
“I’m so proud to be able to share my story with others who might be going through a similar process with their identity,” Jackson said. “It’s been a long road of self-transformation for me, and I’m so grateful for the care I received at NYU Langone with Dr. Rachel Bluebond-Langer, one of the best transgender surgery specialists in the country. I hope that others will feel less alone after hearing about stories like mine.”
Check out the clip above to hear Jackson discuss her experience and dish on the importance of feeling comfortable in your own skin.