20 Trans Actors Who Are Changing the Face of Hollywood

Like many other marginalized groups, trans people are only just beginning to appear in media in larger numbers. And thanks to trans actors and actresses who are finally getting noticed, more and more trans people can see themselves in the TV and movies they love. But it's not all good news just yet. GLAAD has tracked trans representation in the media since 2002, and found that 54% of TV shows that featured trans characters showed them in a negative light. An additional 35% ranged from "problematic" to "good," while only 12% groundbreaking, fair and accurate enough to earn a GLAAD Media Award nomination. "We hope that representations of transgender people on television evolve to become as diverse, nuanced and inspiring as the community those images reflect," said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick.

One of the persistent problems of trans representation onscreen is casting cisgender actors to play trans characters. This is harmful, because not only does it keep trans actors from getting work, it also perpetuates the stigma that trans people are just playing dress-up. But not only does having trans people in these roles, in writing rooms and as part of the production team improve visibility, it also results in more accurate stories. "The entertainment industry can help change that by giving us more opportunities and better parts that don't solely focus on our sexuality," actor Victoria Beltran told Vice. "It's really simple. People just have to take a risk and give us the opportunity."