WEBVTT - Normalizing Diversity On-Screen 0:00:11.880 --> 0:00:14.920 Good morning, peeps, and welcome to Woke f Daily with 0:00:15.080 --> 0:00:20.160 Me your Girl Danielle Moody, recording not So live from 0:00:20.320 --> 0:00:26.200 our Podstream Studios. Folks, I am taking one more quick day. 0:00:26.320 --> 0:00:29.640 I will be back live on Tuesday, but I'm hoping 0:00:29.680 --> 0:00:34.159 that you will get in to this really important conversation 0:00:34.800 --> 0:00:40.879 with trans actress Alexandra Gray about what it means to 0:00:41.080 --> 0:00:45.160 be both black and trans in Hollywood, to be pursuing 0:00:45.520 --> 0:00:48.960 a career in an industry that doesn't oftentimes see you 0:00:49.320 --> 0:00:52.879 or appreciate you. And it's particularly in a society that 0:00:52.920 --> 0:00:56.840 doesn't want to see trans people or appreciate trans people 0:00:56.880 --> 0:01:00.800 and instead creates policies to shrink them. And so in 0:01:00.840 --> 0:01:05.560 this conversation, Alexandra and I unpack a lot of recent 0:01:05.680 --> 0:01:10.080 news around homophobia and transphobia within hip hop culture that 0:01:10.120 --> 0:01:13.160 we have seen, and we talk about the responsibility that 0:01:13.360 --> 0:01:17.560 you have as an activist to uphold and hold an 0:01:17.680 --> 0:01:21.720 entire community and how that presents both a burden but 0:01:21.959 --> 0:01:25.240 also a privilege to be able to do that work. 0:01:25.319 --> 0:01:28.480 So I hope that you enjoy my conversation with the 0:01:28.840 --> 0:01:36.399 fabulous and beautiful and brilliant Alexandra Gray. I am so 0:01:36.480 --> 0:01:39.480 excited to welcome to okay A for the first time 0:01:40.040 --> 0:01:46.960 actress activists, just amazing all around person. Alexandra Gray, who 0:01:47.360 --> 0:01:51.280 I had the pleasure. What feels like girl, Oh, I 0:01:51.280 --> 0:01:54.080 don't know, it feels like a hundred years ago. When 0:01:54.120 --> 0:02:01.840 we met at Sundance, I guess it was it twenty twenty. Yeah, 0:02:01.920 --> 0:02:06.720 it was January twenty twenty. So we yeah, yeah, we 0:02:06.840 --> 0:02:08.800 we were the start. We were the Petrie Dish is 0:02:08.800 --> 0:02:10.840 what everybody says. You know, we were the one that 0:02:10.960 --> 0:02:14.280 you know, got her body inspected. We literally had no 0:02:14.400 --> 0:02:18.120 idea that in but two months the world would be 0:02:18.160 --> 0:02:21.480 turned upside down. And it was so wonderful to get 0:02:21.520 --> 0:02:25.040 to meet you, um in that panel discussing you know 0:02:25.160 --> 0:02:29.000 what it's like to be young black queer um and 0:02:29.160 --> 0:02:33.120 navigating you know, this this industry, this this this work, 0:02:33.520 --> 0:02:37.280 doing this work. Um, you have been doing so much. 0:02:37.360 --> 0:02:40.080 I don't even know where to begin, but I actually 0:02:40.120 --> 0:02:42.240 just want to start off with Alexandra, how have you 0:02:42.320 --> 0:02:45.760 been feeling these days? You know, like there has been 0:02:46.840 --> 0:02:49.639 I mean in the midst of living in this health pandemic. 0:02:50.120 --> 0:02:53.680 You know, they haven't stopped killing black people, haven't stopped 0:02:53.720 --> 0:02:57.840 killing black trans women, Um, you know, there is so 0:02:57.919 --> 0:03:01.160 much good that I have seen through this pandemic, so 0:03:01.280 --> 0:03:03.400 much I have gratitude for, but then so much that 0:03:03.480 --> 0:03:08.360 makes me so deeply grief stricken, and so I just 0:03:08.440 --> 0:03:10.359 want to, you know, start off by saying, like, how 0:03:10.400 --> 0:03:15.400 have you been managing during this time? You know, I 0:03:16.800 --> 0:03:20.079 was doing okay for a minute, like after we got 0:03:20.080 --> 0:03:22.959 the vaccines, are thought things that we're going to get better. 0:03:22.960 --> 0:03:26.880 And then now and just in terms of COVID now 0:03:26.880 --> 0:03:31.320 with the delta variant coming around, it's been it's been 0:03:31.360 --> 0:03:34.080 a lot because it's it feels like things are not 0:03:34.160 --> 0:03:38.200 progressing and we haven't really learned from our mistakes and 0:03:38.280 --> 0:03:42.160 so that has that made me feel uneasy. But in 0:03:42.280 --> 0:03:46.840 terms of the social issues that are continuing to plague 0:03:47.760 --> 0:03:51.160 our country, UM, yeah, it's just it's trash at the 0:03:51.240 --> 0:03:54.160 end of the day, and I can't. I mean, just 0:03:54.280 --> 0:03:59.120 today I saw another black trans woman murdered, Um, you 0:03:59.200 --> 0:04:03.760 know and bye bye by man, and it just you know, 0:04:03.800 --> 0:04:06.600 it feels like it's hard to kind of stay hopeful, 0:04:06.600 --> 0:04:09.200 but I mean you have to. But when you see 0:04:09.240 --> 0:04:12.280 stuff like that, you know that's someone that's just like me. 0:04:12.600 --> 0:04:16.839 So it just it's scary. You know, I can't. I 0:04:16.880 --> 0:04:19.280 can't live my life and here. But it's it's it's 0:04:19.360 --> 0:04:22.760 tough because every time I feel like I'm always looking 0:04:22.760 --> 0:04:26.039 over my shoulder because I'm like, well, I'm Alexandre Gray. 0:04:26.120 --> 0:04:29.240 You know, people may know that I'm trans, right, and 0:04:29.279 --> 0:04:32.560 if they decide to have an issue with me for 0:04:32.680 --> 0:04:36.279 whatever reason, that could that be me. It's like so 0:04:36.960 --> 0:04:41.560 a lot of anxiety, um, but just really trying to 0:04:41.600 --> 0:04:45.320 stay positive and hopeful that you know, we're gonna keep 0:04:45.320 --> 0:04:48.159 talking about these issues. We're gonna keep calling people out 0:04:48.200 --> 0:04:52.760 on this stuff homophobia and transphobia, and that it will 0:04:52.839 --> 0:04:55.960 change and get better. You know, how has it been 0:04:56.120 --> 0:05:00.400 because you have been gracing covers of magazine, We have 0:05:00.520 --> 0:05:06.200 seen you know, beautiful trans women of color, black trans 0:05:06.240 --> 0:05:11.400 women in Hollywood really rising? Right? What is it like 0:05:11.600 --> 0:05:15.920 to kind of be at this moment where there is 0:05:15.960 --> 0:05:19.520 both more of a positive right. I mean, I don't 0:05:19.560 --> 0:05:21.640 want to put words in your mouth. I see it 0:05:21.680 --> 0:05:27.320 as more of a positive reflection of where society is trending. 0:05:27.360 --> 0:05:31.520 When we can celebrate artists like yourself and actresses like 0:05:31.560 --> 0:05:35.520 yourself as well as Angelica Ross as well as Laverne Cox, 0:05:35.600 --> 0:05:40.880 as well as Janet Mock and others that are creating 0:05:41.120 --> 0:05:46.240 such beautiful work right and and paving a pathway where 0:05:46.480 --> 0:05:49.719 I would argue five years ago, ten years ago was 0:05:49.760 --> 0:05:52.840 non existent right in in a lot of ways. And 0:05:52.880 --> 0:05:56.600 so what does it feel like to be part of this, 0:05:56.600 --> 0:06:04.920 this incredible movement and moment. Well, I definitely, I'm obviously 0:06:05.040 --> 0:06:07.600 very blessed. I'm so every day I wake up. And 0:06:07.680 --> 0:06:10.960 two words that I live by our gracing gratitude. There 0:06:11.000 --> 0:06:14.960 was something an actress taught me on the set was 0:06:15.040 --> 0:06:19.839 to always have gracing gratitude. And so of course they're politics, right, 0:06:20.839 --> 0:06:24.720 So just because I am trans and I'm working in 0:06:24.960 --> 0:06:28.320 trans Hollywood, if you will, I'd be foolish to think 0:06:28.320 --> 0:06:33.240 that there wouldn't be politics, and there would be colorism, racism, 0:06:33.400 --> 0:06:37.960 you know, agism, all those things. And so I will 0:06:38.000 --> 0:06:41.600 say that there are days where it's tough. I feel 0:06:41.640 --> 0:06:45.640 like Dorothy Dandred and Hattie McDaniel, like trying to do 0:06:45.680 --> 0:06:50.640 the impossibles. And then some days I am very much like, Wow, 0:06:50.680 --> 0:06:53.080 we're making a lot of progress. But I will say 0:06:53.160 --> 0:06:56.919 too that I'm honored. Right, I remember ten years ago 0:06:58.200 --> 0:07:02.480 when I got disowned from my family and I was homeless, 0:07:02.880 --> 0:07:06.080 and I remember seeing Laverne Cox, you know, out there 0:07:06.120 --> 0:07:09.200 grinding and really trying to make it as an actress, 0:07:09.200 --> 0:07:12.440 and I said, I'm gonna be like her. And so 0:07:12.480 --> 0:07:15.200 I think to even be sitting here in this moment 0:07:15.240 --> 0:07:17.200 with you and for you to mention my name with 0:07:17.240 --> 0:07:20.080 the likes of her, it's like, wow, you know, full 0:07:20.120 --> 0:07:24.520 circle moment, Like that's really cool. But I will say 0:07:24.520 --> 0:07:27.120 that I'm very humbled and grateful. I know, even just 0:07:27.240 --> 0:07:31.360 five years ago when I really got started do start 0:07:31.400 --> 0:07:35.480 TV that you know, there weren't an abundance of trans 0:07:35.600 --> 0:07:38.160 characters like there are, and now we're starting to see 0:07:38.440 --> 0:07:43.520 trans characters in series regular roles, leading roles, more recurring roles. 0:07:43.960 --> 0:07:47.720 And when I started, I can count on the time 0:07:47.760 --> 0:07:51.360 that I was the only trans person on time. So 0:07:51.840 --> 0:07:54.760 now it's a blessing to see that we're making so 0:07:54.840 --> 0:07:58.440 much progress. So I'm super honored to I mean, you 0:07:58.560 --> 0:08:02.080 have been a series of regular on Empire, you have been, 0:08:02.640 --> 0:08:08.320 you know, on leading shows on CBS. Do you feel 0:08:08.360 --> 0:08:14.200 like there is a um a lot more character development 0:08:14.480 --> 0:08:19.440 around what you're being offered, meaning that it's not just 0:08:19.600 --> 0:08:23.640 these you know, stereotypical roles like when we you know 0:08:24.040 --> 0:08:26.960 that it is You're able to really show the breath 0:08:27.000 --> 0:08:30.840 and depth of your talent now or do you still 0:08:30.920 --> 0:08:35.079 feel like you're breaking out of what the perceived notions 0:08:35.120 --> 0:08:38.680 and boxes are when people do know that you are 0:08:38.720 --> 0:08:42.560 obviously black and trans you know, do you feel limited 0:08:42.720 --> 0:08:45.920 or do you feel like that kind of barrier is 0:08:46.240 --> 0:08:50.360 being released a bit? You know, I'll say, well, I've 0:08:50.360 --> 0:08:52.840 never been a series of regular yet, but I appreciate 0:08:52.880 --> 0:08:55.920 the foreshadowing. Okay, let me foresiate I did it. You 0:08:55.960 --> 0:08:57.760 know what. I did the same thing to lean Away 0:08:57.920 --> 0:09:01.040 and I said that. I said, oh, Emmy before she 0:09:01.120 --> 0:09:03.559 had anything, and She's like, I'm not there yet, Danielle, 0:09:03.559 --> 0:09:09.079 And I said, okay, so just say that. I appreciate 0:09:09.120 --> 0:09:11.440 that you are speaking that to me. Um, but I 0:09:11.480 --> 0:09:15.560 have had significant recurring roles, like I've recurred on many 0:09:15.600 --> 0:09:18.360 many shows, so I know that it's coming, and so 0:09:18.559 --> 0:09:21.640 I really appreciate you saying that. UM, but I do 0:09:21.840 --> 0:09:24.240 feel I will say, the last show that I worked on, 0:09:24.320 --> 0:09:26.800 The Giver, which is an action adventure series. I'm like, 0:09:26.800 --> 0:09:28.400 what is this black girl doing in the middle of 0:09:28.440 --> 0:09:33.240 this action show on CBS? But I really that that 0:09:33.320 --> 0:09:35.800 was the closest that I felt, and for the first 0:09:35.840 --> 0:09:38.439 time in any of the roles that I've done where 0:09:38.480 --> 0:09:41.920 I felt like an intricate part of the story, meaning 0:09:41.960 --> 0:09:46.080 that if I wasn't in the episode, that you couldn't 0:09:46.080 --> 0:09:50.240 tell the episode. Usually like on Empire. I loved it 0:09:50.280 --> 0:09:53.599 because I got to play a superstar, but my storyline 0:09:53.720 --> 0:09:59.520 was kind of working in conjunction with like the main storyline. 0:09:59.559 --> 0:10:01.640 So it's like all the main characters have this world 0:10:01.640 --> 0:10:04.640 they're in and I'm kind of have my own trans 0:10:04.679 --> 0:10:08.040 black story over here. Got it. And with mcgeiver, it 0:10:08.120 --> 0:10:10.480 was great because it was like I was a part 0:10:10.559 --> 0:10:13.920 of main cast. Baby, Okay, she was in the war 0:10:14.040 --> 0:10:16.920 room solving the case. Come on, it was like you 0:10:17.000 --> 0:10:21.880 needed her. And so I love that because it gave 0:10:21.960 --> 0:10:24.920 the spread my wings as an actor and artist and 0:10:25.480 --> 0:10:27.840 so I and so I feel like that's progress. You 0:10:27.840 --> 0:10:31.000 know that I shot that during during the pandemic um 0:10:31.040 --> 0:10:34.400 and I think we're making just more progress. So I'm 0:10:34.440 --> 0:10:37.559 excited to see the roles that continue to come because 0:10:37.600 --> 0:10:40.719 I don't mind plan trans roles. Okay, So that's that's 0:10:40.760 --> 0:10:42.480 what's gonna be that this is going to be my 0:10:42.559 --> 0:10:47.200 next question to you, though, is you know do you 0:10:47.240 --> 0:10:50.040 know you say that you don't mind? Do you is 0:10:50.480 --> 0:10:53.720 the do you want to mix right of just being 0:10:53.760 --> 0:10:58.559 able to to not also play your play your identity 0:10:58.600 --> 0:11:02.000 but just also just play a part. Or does it 0:11:02.200 --> 0:11:05.320 or or or do you enjoy it? Do you enjoy both? 0:11:06.400 --> 0:11:09.800 I would enjoy both. I've only haven't played a non 0:11:09.800 --> 0:11:14.680 trans character once on How to Get Away with Murder 0:11:15.120 --> 0:11:17.319 shout out to Viola Day because it was her birthday yesterday. 0:11:17.400 --> 0:11:27.040 Okay home grass I now my goodness. Um. But so 0:11:27.160 --> 0:11:29.400 I've played a non trans character for the first time 0:11:29.440 --> 0:11:31.680 on that show, first and only time out of my 0:11:31.880 --> 0:11:35.439 entire television career. So faro um. And so I feel 0:11:35.480 --> 0:11:38.839 like we are trying. Me and my team are trying 0:11:38.880 --> 0:11:42.319 to cross that kind of threshold of like getting people 0:11:42.360 --> 0:11:46.040 to be like, hey, she can place this, like cast her. 0:11:47.240 --> 0:11:50.240 But also I'm not dying to place this world's Like. 0:11:50.280 --> 0:11:53.240 I love playing trans characters. I think trans people are 0:11:53.280 --> 0:11:57.360 like unicorns, and they're beautiful humans, and um, we're so 0:11:57.559 --> 0:12:01.840 unique and different and I love telling those stories. I 0:12:01.960 --> 0:12:05.199 just don't necessarily want to always play the murderer or 0:12:05.200 --> 0:12:08.000 the junkie of the prostitute of the horror, But I 0:12:08.040 --> 0:12:11.559 would love to play a trans doctor or a trans lawyer, 0:12:12.240 --> 0:12:14.800 you know, and you know, but we have to. I 0:12:14.880 --> 0:12:18.640 don't mind playing the Nazo glammorous role, so I appreciate 0:12:18.679 --> 0:12:21.600 that I've done that, but I also would like to 0:12:22.000 --> 0:12:25.560 go further and show trans people in all aspects of 0:12:25.559 --> 0:12:28.720 the world, because we exist in all aspects, you know. 0:12:29.040 --> 0:12:36.760 I was watching a really amazing interview recently that went viral, 0:12:36.840 --> 0:12:39.480 and I don't know if I think I got it. 0:12:39.520 --> 0:12:43.400 I saw it initially on Angelica Ross's page on Instagram, 0:12:43.480 --> 0:12:48.760 and it was the writer and the activists alack men 0:12:48.920 --> 0:12:53.920 one and they were talking about just exactly what you 0:12:54.000 --> 0:12:59.400 mentioned about trans people being a reflection right of the 0:12:59.400 --> 0:13:02.480 freedoms that other people do not think that they have 0:13:02.800 --> 0:13:07.840 to show up as they as their truth right. And 0:13:08.040 --> 0:13:11.920 what makes people feel those that are anti, those that 0:13:11.960 --> 0:13:15.600 are that are that are transphobic, and what have you 0:13:16.000 --> 0:13:19.679 feel a certain way is that you have the audacity 0:13:19.760 --> 0:13:23.800 to live in your truth right, to show up and 0:13:23.880 --> 0:13:28.560 be a reflection of the absence of that for the 0:13:28.679 --> 0:13:32.439 larger quote unquote mainstream community. Do you feel that way? 0:13:32.760 --> 0:13:37.319 Do you like the way in which there are so 0:13:37.440 --> 0:13:44.200 much transphobia and even within the lgbt Q plus community 0:13:44.360 --> 0:13:46.800 that there still remains. And I tell people that because 0:13:46.800 --> 0:13:49.120 they're like, oh no, that can't possibly be. And I 0:13:49.200 --> 0:13:51.360 was just like, oh, well, clearly you haven't done any 0:13:51.400 --> 0:13:55.920 movement work um with the community, because I'm like, because 0:13:55.960 --> 0:13:59.880 I have, and I remember I found it absolutely shocking. 0:14:00.280 --> 0:14:04.559 I'm like, so we're gonna like either our own neglect 0:14:04.640 --> 0:14:08.760 our own, Like I just didn't understand that. But do 0:14:08.800 --> 0:14:13.040 you feel that way, like about people who are still 0:14:14.160 --> 0:14:17.360 so phobic right that it is about what they are 0:14:17.440 --> 0:14:23.160 missing as opposed to what you need to be elevating. Yeah, 0:14:23.200 --> 0:14:25.080 I've been to lunch with like I was got lunch 0:14:25.080 --> 0:14:27.640 with the game and he was like, you know, I 0:14:27.720 --> 0:14:30.840 just don't really understand the whole trance thing, like and 0:14:30.840 --> 0:14:33.720 it was almost like he was reposed by I basically 0:14:33.760 --> 0:14:36.560 said to him, I was like dealing with a man 0:14:36.640 --> 0:14:39.000 that's not exactly cute either, if you want to try 0:14:39.040 --> 0:14:42.680 to get all me died, but you know, I mean 0:14:42.720 --> 0:14:45.920 I was a little bit more graphic, but I say, 0:14:46.120 --> 0:14:49.400 I don't like, you don't get it. It's like we're 0:14:49.440 --> 0:14:52.520 both problematic at the end of you want to if 0:14:52.520 --> 0:14:56.320 you if you're gonna say that I'm problematic, but people 0:14:56.360 --> 0:14:59.480 look at us the same. But anyways, I think at 0:14:59.480 --> 0:15:01.920 the end of the DA day, I think there are 0:15:02.000 --> 0:15:05.720 some people that do this for like attention, all these 0:15:05.840 --> 0:15:08.320 Karen videos or people saying the N word and all 0:15:08.320 --> 0:15:10.960 these people trying to keep chance people. I feel like 0:15:11.120 --> 0:15:13.280 some of these people, and it's a very small percentage 0:15:13.280 --> 0:15:18.720 of people are doing this because I think of the attention, 0:15:18.760 --> 0:15:21.240 they just want to bring attention. I don't think that 0:15:21.960 --> 0:15:24.640 some of these people are like actually like real racist. 0:15:24.680 --> 0:15:26.400 I think that some of these people are like, oh, 0:15:26.440 --> 0:15:30.200 I know that the like I think some people perform 0:15:30.280 --> 0:15:32.200 it and it's like I don't know if it's to 0:15:32.280 --> 0:15:34.480 go viral or if it's just like I have nothing 0:15:34.480 --> 0:15:35.960 else better to do with my life, so I'm gonna 0:15:35.960 --> 0:15:37.840 go to Trader Joe's and like, call you the INN word, 0:15:37.880 --> 0:15:41.480 like I just wish somebody. I wish somebody would. But 0:15:42.560 --> 0:15:46.400 than that, I think exactly I can't remember that person's name, 0:15:46.480 --> 0:15:48.440 but I saw those videos that they posted, and I 0:15:48.480 --> 0:15:51.280 thought that they laid it out so beautifully. I'm like 0:15:51.800 --> 0:15:53.920 kind of like disclosure, Like you need to watch that 0:15:54.040 --> 0:15:57.520 video in order to understand because the fact that people 0:15:57.560 --> 0:16:00.840 have a problem with Little nas X. Yeah, and all 0:16:00.880 --> 0:16:04.040 of this. It's like, to me, this is just a 0:16:04.080 --> 0:16:07.440 reflection of you, you know what I mean. The men 0:16:07.520 --> 0:16:10.280 that I've ever met that were repulsed by me or 0:16:10.880 --> 0:16:13.320 try to this gender me or make me feel bad 0:16:13.800 --> 0:16:15.640 ended up trying to get in my bed later on. 0:16:16.080 --> 0:16:19.880 So it's like the day, it's probably a reflection of you. 0:16:19.960 --> 0:16:22.200 And to see people living in their truth and then 0:16:22.240 --> 0:16:25.600 their authenticity. To walk out our doors every single day. 0:16:25.600 --> 0:16:28.840 To see Little nas X on the b EC Awards 0:16:28.840 --> 0:16:31.800 stage saying, f you, I'm going to kiss a man 0:16:31.920 --> 0:16:36.200 because that's my rights and I deserve to. It's like, 0:16:36.320 --> 0:16:39.520 of course that's gonna bother people because it's like, how 0:16:39.640 --> 0:16:48.600 dare you? You know, live your truth? That is it 0:16:48.720 --> 0:16:51.840 for Today's Woke, a f daily podcast to hear more 0:16:51.960 --> 0:16:55.600 from today's show, including my full interview with Alexandre Gray. 0:16:55.920 --> 0:17:01.000 Support me on Patreonton dot com, Slash Woke. Power to 0:17:01.080 --> 0:17:04.080 the people and to all the people. Power, get woke 0:17:04.200 --> 0:17:07.560 and stay woke as fuck. I'm back live tomorrow, folks, 0:17:07.600 --> 0:17:08.800 so buckle up.