The challenges and triumphs faced by young transgender individuals is taking center stage in a new teaser video for the documentary special, “The T Word.”
Actress and LGBT activist Laverne Cox is hosting and executive producing the one-hour special for MTV and Logo TV, which airs Friday.
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“When a baby is born, one of the first questions asked is, ‘Is it a boy or is it a girl?’ but what if it’s not that simple?” Cox says in the new video.
One of the seven people profiled is Kye, a 24-year-old basketball player who became the first openly trans Division I athlete. From a very young age, he did not identify as being the gender he was born.
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“I was at day care and [was told] ‘Okay, the boys go over here and girls go over here.’ So I walk over with the boys! And they were like, ‘No, you’re actually supposed to be over here with the girls, sweetie.’”
The youngest subject featured is Zoey, a 12-year-old who warns camera crews to beware of the “girly-ness” found in her bedroom.
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On Thursday, Cox was joined by members of the cast from “The T Word” to light the Empire State Building purple for Spirit Day.
“For many of us, the ‘T’ in LGBT means more than transgender, it also means truth,” Cox said. “The cast members in this documentary are fearlessly living their truths and in sharing their stories will send the message to other trans youth that it’s okay to be who you are.”
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MTV and Logo TV will simultaneously premiere the documentary Friday at 7 p.m. ET.
Watch the video above for a first look.