LIVE...WERK....POSE

How perfect that second season of Pose debuted during Pride month  of all times. If you don't follow the show, it is well worth the watch, with delicious cat fights, fashion, well written stories and characters, and also show an educational lesson what many queens, in peculiar, the trans girls went through, and how they struggle to live and survive and make a life for themselves. Pose, which is now in its second season, revolves around New York's underground ballroom scene, a world of flamboyant performances between competing 'houses'. Whats even more amazing, who'd thought we would be seeing that five of the lead actresses are trans, plus another 45 of the cast, making it the largest number of trans actors ever in a TV show. Kudo's to FX and Ryan Murphy for bringing us the show. And you know what? It's a ratings blockbuster.For years the only medium that would showcase transgender people was pornography. Hollywood was never interested in displaying transgender artists doing anything. Finally over the last few years we've seen mainstream television take that first step. Orange is the New Black, which I believe paved the way for shows like transparent, and now we have Pose. One thing I really like about the show is that it not only uses queer and trans talent from the community on and off camera but never before have I seen a mainstream TV show take the types of things that would have been life-affirming for me to witness on TV. I also love that the show does not shy away some issues that are sad but true realities in our communities. 

 Mj Rodriguez It was during her stage career that Rodriguez began to fully explore the transitioning process. Following the conclusion of a off-Broadway revival in 2012, Rodriguez made the decision to go on hiatus and begin her transition. She began hormone replacement therapy in early 2016. She later reemerged, and reengaged with her public career after giving herself enough privacy and time to sort out her affairs. Rodriguez then contacted her representation to inform them that she was no longer auditioning for male roles. Despite her concerns, Rodriguez found her representation to be fully supportive of her gender identity and has gone on to sta in various projects.

Agnes Moore, known by her stage name Miss Peppermint, is an actress, singer, television personality, drag queen, and activist. She is best known as a fixture in the New York City nightlife scene and as the runner-up on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. In 2018 Peppermint made her Broadway debut in The Go-Go's-inspired musical Head Over Heels playing the role of Pythio. She became the first trans woman to originate a principal role on Broadway. In addition though other transgender women have competed on RuPaul's Drag Race, she was the first to be out prior to the show airing, having come out in 2012.Her shows are phenomenal.

Angelica Ross is a trans gender woman. In 1998, at the age of 17, she came out as gay to her mother, an evangelical Christian. Her mother did not receive the news well and told Ross she should commit suicide or she would, because she couldn't have someone like her as her child. Ross considered ending her own life and overdosed on medication but survived. Ross decided to join the U.S. Navy in order to qualify for the G.I. Bill. Ross initially moved to Rochester, New York before being stationed in Yokosuka, Kanagawa After six months of service, she requested and received an "uncharacterized" discharge under the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy (which was then in force) due to being harassed by enlisted men who coerced her into saying she was gay. Ross moved back home, and made friends with a drag queen called Traci Ross who helped her begin her gender transition at the age of 19. Since then she has went on to be an American businesswoman, actress, and transgender rights advocate. After becoming a self-taught coder in the early years of her career she went on to become the founder and CEO of TransTech Social Enterprises, a firm that helps employ transgender people in the tech industry.

Dominique Jackson   was born on March 20, 1975 in Scarborough, Trinidad. Although Jackson grew up with a grandmother that had "station," she still experienced a traumatic upbringing that included bullying and sexual abuse. She fled to the United States at the age of eighteen due to not being accepted as transgender by her family.  During her time in the United States, Jackson has experienced homelessness and turned to sex work and living off credit cards for survival. It was in 1993, while living in Baltimore, Maryland, that Jackson was introduced to the ballroom scene. She then lived in various "houses" and eventually settled in the House of Sinclair which was stationed in New York City.  She also did modeling. So that she could develop the right opportunities, Jackson did most of her early modeling work for free. In 2009, she became a resident model for fashion designer Adrian Alicea and walked for the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. She has also modeled for Vogue España. She has also gone on to act, write and various community services.

Indya Moor is transgender and has openly spoken about their lifelong struggles with the bullying and transphobia that caused her to leave home at 14 and drop out of school in the 10th grade. Moore is non-binary, and goes by they/them pronouns. Moore became a model at the age of 15, and began working shoots for Dior and Gucci, despite the fashion industry's initial treatment of them as a risky choice.  Although Moore was booking modeling gigs, they became increasingly disenchanted with the fashion industry and its emphasis on body image. Moore met legendary dancer and ballroom veteran Jose Gutierez Xtravaganza while doing background for the television series The Get Down.  In early 2017, Moore walked in New York Fashion Week and was photographed for Vogue España. That year, Moore appeared in Katy Perry’s music video for the single “Swish Swish”, and performed live with Perry

Haillie Sahar  father was a preacher in a Baptist church and she grew up in a religious household in Los Angeles. Sahar has five brothers. As a child, Sahar was a dancer for L.A.’s WNBA team, the Sparks. Sahar participated in Los Angeles' Ball scene and at 18, she became the youngest member of the ball community by starting her own house, House of Rodale. Later, Sahar moved to the House of Allure. She describes herself as a woman of trans experience , Since then she has gone on to a recording artist, fashion designer, activist, and actress. She is known for her performance part of Lulu Abundance,

Jiggly Caliente was born Paulo Arabejo in Laguna, Philippines. She moved to America in 1991 at age 10 with her mom and brother. She came out in junior high school to her late mother, and her drag mother is Chevelle Brooks Jiggly is a .drag performer, singer, model, actress, and transgender activist, best known for being on the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, but since has came out in 2016 as a transwoman and now goes by Bianca Castro. 

Leiomy Maldonado , known as the "Wonder Woman of Vogue", is a transgender Afro-Puerto Rican dancer, instructor, model, activist, and ballroom dancer. She was a member of the dance troupe "Vogue Evolution," which was featured on Season 4 of America's Best Dance Crew. She has worked with artists such as Willow Smith, Icona Pop, and CocoRosie.

Bravo to these brave souls for bringing this show out of the closet so to speak.