The beauty industry — and our culture at large — owes a debt to trans women. Their legacy runs deep; from historical figures like Marsha P. Johnson who unabashedly owned their platforms to actors and activists like Laverne Cox and Indya Moore continue to bring visibility to the rights of trans and nonbinary communities through acting, modeling, and speaking out.
Today, influencers like Junior Mintt, Nikkie Tutorials, and even 12-year-old Zaya Wade are carrying on that work — making direct contributions both to beauty and trans advocacy. In honor of International Women's Day, we're highlighting trans women both past and present who have made their marks.