As part of UMass’ October season, it was chosen that this year’s homecoming speaker would be Laverne Cox. For those of you reading this and don’t know who that is, she, as an actress, currently holds a leading role on the wildly popular Netflix series Orange is the New Black. For those of you who know even less (as I did before seeing her speak), Laverne Cox is an activist at the forefront of the movement against transgender discrimination.
Despite this being the “UMass Homecoming speech,” it amazed me how many non-UMass students were in attendance. The line to get into the ballroom to watch the speech snaked through the entire Student Union and was so long that some students were forced to wait in a line outside. Once seated, I sparked conversation with people next to me who drove from Smith, Amherst College, Hampshire College, Springfield College, Mt. Holyoke College and even as far as Simmons College in Boston. With five minutes to go before the speech started, I took some time to observe the venue and the people in attendance. I couldn’t have been more baffled or more amazed when I turned around and saw that there was no longer seating, but standing room only, and yet people were still crowding themselves in to listen to this speech.
Once a representative from the Stonewall Center introduced Laverne Cox, it was quite clear that I had completely underestimated UMass’ homecoming speaker choice. When she began to walk onto the stage and to the podium, Ms. Cox was greeted with not only a joyous and roaring applause, but an immediate standing ovation from everyone in attendance. Believe me when I say, this lasted much longer than your standard applause. The smiles on people’s faces were incomparable to anything I had ever seen before, everyone seemed beside themselves with excitement for spending the next hour listening to this courageous women.
“Ain’t I A Woman” was not only the title of her speech, but it became almost a mantra and a phrase she said many times throughout the night. As a transgender women herself, Laverne is passionate about her rights and the rights that all transgenders’ deserve to be themselves, to love themselves, and to receive the same love from others. Although transgender advocacy was a significant part of her hour long speech, Laverne also addressed the idea of gender, and how perhaps were living in a culture where ideas taught about gender are dare I say…wrong?
She brought us back in time with her through stories of her childhood and the struggles she faced during her transition. She taught us that being a women or female is maybe not something you’re born with, but perhaps something you become, and this went for both genders. She gave us a glimpse into this theory and educated idea she has of gender and how she hopes it becomes the normal perspective of everyone in the future. She also discussed race and her pride in being an “African American transgender woman.” It became clear towards the end that so many people from so many places showed up to this speech because they all idolize Laverne Cox so much. It’s clear through her words and their reactions that she gives people hope, especially those struggling with being themselves in a world where sometimes that just isn’t welcomed.
The speech was well educated, witty, comical, a little political and sometimes sad, but absolutely inspiring and made you want to do more on a personal level to help her cause. Laverne Cox is much more than just an actress or just some famous transgender person. She is an icon of our generation and a face of a world that could be, one without hate, prejudice or discrimination. Anyone who missed this opportunity to listen to the bravery and unfailing faith of someone fighting for the rights of others and igniting a necessary social change – you should probably be kicking yourself. Shout out to UMass UPC for all their hardwork and patience with putting this event on, and for also bringing such an amazing individual onto campus!