"I Am Still Here" : A Trans Actress’s Fight for Visibility, Equality, and Survival in 2025

Editor’s Note: The following is a letter from a trans actress. She would like to remain anonymous.

To my fellow artists, dreamers, and those who dare to live authentically—

I have spent nearly a decade in New York City, chasing the kind of dreams that keep you awake at night, the ones too big to ignore. I transitioned in 2018 with the love and support of my family and friends—a privilege I will never take for granted. But support from loved ones does not shield you from an industry, or a world, that still struggles to see us as fully human.

Since coming out, I’ve been called a “liability” by a casting director who was afraid hiring a trans actress might be “too controversial” for their investors. I’ve had agents tell me to “soften” my identity to be more marketable, as if my existence was something to be adjusted for the comfort of others. I’ve walked into auditions for trans roles, only to see cis actors in the waiting room—actors who would be praised for their “bravery” if they landed the part while trans women like me are deemed “too specific” to be cast in anything else.

And it’s not just the industry. It’s the drunk man on the subway who spat at my feet and called me a slur. It’s the woman at the coffee shop who stared too long, whispering to her friend as if I couldn’t hear. It’s the online harassment that floods my inbox anytime I share a piece of myself with the world. It’s the people who still see my identity as a debate, as if my right to exist with dignity is something up for discussion.

And now, it’s an administration that has made it clear it wants to erase us.

Under Trump’s presidency, trans rights are once again under attack. Healthcare protections are being stripped away, making it harder for trans people—especially trans youth—to access lifesaving medical care. Anti-trans legislation is being pushed at every level, from bathroom bans to restrictions on changing legal documents. The rhetoric from those in power emboldens those who wish to see us disappear, and the violence against our community continues to rise.

And yet, I refuse to be silent.

I refuse to accept that my presence in this industry is a novelty. I refuse to let policies designed to push us back into the shadows succeed. I refuse to let fear dictate my art, my voice, my future.

To my trans and nonbinary siblings in this industry: You are not alone. Your talent is not a trend. Your stories are worth telling, and your presence is vital.

To casting directors, producers, and executives: Do more. Stop seeing trans actors as risks and start seeing us as the assets we are. Cast us in roles beyond trauma narratives. Let us be the love interests, the action heroes, the leads in stories that don’t just center our pain.

To allies: Your voice matters. Call out injustice when you see it. Advocate for us when we’re not in the room. Donate to trans organizations, support trans-led projects, and make space for us in meaningful ways.

And to the administration that wants to make our existence harder, if not impossible: We will not go quietly. We are still here. We will continue to fight, to create, to take up space in an industry and a world that belongs to us just as much as anyone else.

I am a transgender actress in New York City. This is my reality. And no policy, no politician, and no fear-mongering will ever take my voice away.

I am still here.