Laverne Cox, star of Netflix show “Orange is the New Black,” is set to be Madame Tussauds’ first transgender wax figure. The actress and transgender rights activist will have her likeness debuted on June 26 in San Francisco, during the city’s Pride Festival.
In its 200 years of existence, Madame Tussauds has never featured a transgender person in one of its global exhibits. The museum is famous for creating life-like reproductions of famous athletes, politicians and other historical figures.
“Madame Tussauds is proud to recognize Laverne Cox’s achievements, reflecting the San Francisco Pride 2015 theme of equality without exception and underpinning Madame Tussauds tradition of celebrating and reflecting contemporary society and the people who shape cultural landscape around the world regardless of race, creed, gender, sexuality,” spokesperson Beth Schnitzer for Madame Tussauds told msnbc in an email.
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Cox in a statement to Entertainment Weekly said she was “deeply honored” to be part of the museum’s legacy.
“When I think about being who I am, a black trans woman from a working class background raised in Mobile, Alabama, this honor feels even more improbable and extraordinary. I hope that this will be a source of inspiration for everyone who encounters it to believe that their dreams matter and are possible.” This is not Cox’s first time making history. In June of 2014, Cox also made history for being the first transgender person nominated for an Emmy award. She was also featured on the cover of TIME magazine last year, where she spoke about her family history and emergence as a transgender leader. The actress last week applauded former Olympian-turned reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner for her public unveiling on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine. On her official blog, Cox wrote: “Yes, Caitlyn looks amazing and is beautiful but what I think is most beautiful about her is her heart and soul, the ways she has allowed the world into her vulnerabilities.” With Jenner’s reveal and Cox’s new wax figure, June — which also is LGBT pride month — has been historic in the fight for equality in the transgender community. But as Cox wrote on her blog, “The struggle continues…”
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