Photo courtesy Jessy Dubai(NEW YORK) — (NOTE LANGUAGE) According to USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, 2018 saw a record number of Hollywood studio movies featuring leads who were either female or people of color — but people in the LGBTQ community were still being under-represented.
“Even though the path looks long and filled with obstacles…change is coming,” says trans model, activist, and adult performer Jessy Dubai to ABC Radio.
She points to the popularity of Taylor Swift’s “inclusive” video for “You Need to Calm Down,” and Taylor’s acceptance speech for Video of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards as an example. Swift called for the White House to support the Equality Act, which offers sweeping protections for people in the LGBTQ community.
“When someone famous uses their platform in order to make a positive impact, I think that’s something to praise them for,” Dubai tells ABC Radio. “So her knowing that she has this huge platform and she can do something about it which is positive? It’s something amazing.”
Dubai also points to the trailblazing success of Janet Mock, the best-selling author who brought the hit drama Pose to FX. Teaming with Netflix, Mock recently became the first openly trans woman to ink a multi-million dollar content deal.
“She[is] just amazing,” Jessy says of Mock, but notes that her success isn’t simply due to her sexual identity.
“It’s just her uniqueness charisma and talents…that made her who she is,” Jessy explains.
Mainstream opinions are changing, Dubai says, adding, “But, just like Rome wasn’t built [in a day], neither will this.”
Dubai has channeled her life experience into the comedic and dramatic one-woman show Confessions of a W**re.
Copyright © 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.