After threats to be outed by other media outlets, Lilly Wachowski, younger sibling to Lana and one-half of the filmmaking duo that brough us THE MATRIX Trilogy, SPEED RACER, and CLOUD ATLAS, has come out as transgender.
Penning a must-read statement to the Windy City Times, Lilly explained the circumstances leading up to her announcement, the numerous times the news almost broke and how that all played a factor in deciding to release this information to the world on her own terms.
My sister Lana and I have largely avoided the press. I find talking about my art frustratingly tedious and talking about myself a wholly mortifying experience. I knew at some point I would have to come out publicly. You know, when you’re living as an out transgender person it’s … kind of difficult to hide. I just wanted—needed some time to get my head right, to feel comfortable.
But apparently I don’t get to decide this.
Lilly also discusses the issues and fears the transgender community faces on a daily basis, hoping to open some eyes and educate those who may not know their struggles as people are forced to confront the fact that transgender individuals do exist out there in the world and would like to be treated with tolerance as they seek out similar happiness to everyone else.
Being transgender is not easy. We live in a majority-enforced gender binary world. This means when you’re transgender you have to face the hard reality of living the rest of your life in a world that is openly hostile to you.
I am one of the lucky ones. Having the support of my family and the means to afford doctors and therapists has given me the chance to actually survive this process. Transgender people without support, means and privilege do not have this luxury. And many do not survive. In 2015, the transgender murder rate hit an all-time high in this country. A horrifying disproportionate number of the victims were trans women of color. These are only the recorded homicides so, since trans people do not all fit in the tidy gender binary statistics of murder rates, it means the actual numbers are higher.
And though we have come a long way since Silence of the Lambs, we continue to be demonized and vilified in the media where attack ads portray us as potential predators to keep us from even using the goddamn bathroom. The so-called bathroom bills that are popping up all over this country do not keep children safe, they force trans people into using bathrooms where they can be beaten and or murdered. We are not predators, we are prey.
I really do implore you to check out Lilly’s words as a way to perhaps understand what a transgender person goes through, perhaps prompting some understanding and empathy as we all try to navigate this crazy world. But furthermore, good for Lilly Wachowski. It is good to hear of someone finding happiness within their own lives and being able to feel comfort in their own skin. She can now proceed openly with who she truly is, which is something I’m sure we’d all want for ourselves. I wish her nothing but the best of luck as she settles into her transition and now we can say that the Wachowski sisters have officially arrived.
Their most recent work was SENSE8 for Netflix, which has been renewed for a second season. However, no production start or premiere dates have been announced.