This archive report was first published on 6 July 2019.
On a day-to-day basis, Laverne Cox, the 47-year-old actress known for her role in Orange Is The New Black, used to rely on makeup to feel safe in public. However, as she has grown and become more confident, she has learned to celebrate and embrace her natural looks.
Speaking to Refinery 29, Laverne shared her personal experience of using makeup as a tool to deal with the abuse and harassment she faced. She explained, 'I needed to put on my face to get ready to be harassed on the street, to deal with the world.'
She added, 'I always needed makeup to feel safe. When you are a trans woman and you walk down the street and get called a man, it can be a mind fk. I felt like a failure — like people weren’t seeing my womanhood.'
However, Laverne has come a long way since then. She has learned to appreciate her beauty both with and without makeup. 'On a day-to-day basis, I always want the makeup to be about celebrating what I look like,' she said.
One of the pivotal moments for Laverne was when she attended a pageant in West Village, New York City, in the '90s looking 'fully femme'. Another moment was when she changed her hair to blonde, which she described as a 'Beyoncé in Destiny’s Child-type of look'. The beast was unleashed.'
As she aged and grew more comfortable with herself, Laverne learned the importance of embracing her beauty both with and without makeup. She has even gone on dates and attended auditions without makeup, something she would have avoided in the past.
Her journey to self-acceptance has been a long and challenging one, but Laverne has emerged stronger and more confident. She has become a leader within the LGBTQ community and has been recognized for her contributions, including being the first transgender person to receive a Primetime Emmy nomination for her performance in Orange Is The New Black.
Recently, Laverne has put on a brave face to the public, attending multiple events in New York City, such as WorldPride NYC, after announcing she and her boyfriend of two years split at the end of June.
