About me
Trace Lysette is a groundbreaking American actress and transgender rights advocate whose career has been defined by her commitment to advancing authentic representation and creating opportunities for transgender performers in mainstream entertainment. Born October 2, 1981, in Lexington, Kentucky, her advocacy work emerged from navigating personal challenges as a transgender woman while building a successful acting career that has opened doors for countless others.
Lysette's advocacy began organically through her visibility as one of the first transgender people to appear in cisgender speaking roles on primetime television, debuting on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2013. Her subsequent role as Shea on Amazon's "Transparent" (2014-2019) became a platform for groundbreaking representation, particularly through storylines exploring romantic relationships between transgender women and cisgender men—narratives that had been largely absent from mainstream media.
As a vocal advocate for improved transgender representation in Hollywood, Lysette has consistently used her platform to challenge industry practices that exclude transgender performers. In 2017, she joined fellow transgender actors in a filmed letter to Hollywood, written by Jen Richards with support from GLAAD and ScreenCrush, demanding more and better roles for transgender people. Her public criticism of Scarlett Johansson's casting as a transgender man in "Rub & Tug" exemplified her commitment to ensuring that transgender stories are told by transgender actors, ultimately contributing to Johansson's withdrawal from the role.
Lysette's advocacy extends beyond representation to addressing broader issues facing transgender communities. She has spoken at numerous events including Women's March Las Vegas and Out & Equal in Philadelphia, sharing her experiences to highlight injustices faced by transgender individuals. In 2017, she recorded a PSA with The Trevor Project focused on suicide prevention awareness for LGBTQ youth, demonstrating her commitment to supporting vulnerable community members.
Her work as executive producer of "Trans in Trumpland," a documentary series examining transgender experiences during the Trump administration, and her podcast "Harsh Reality: The Story of Miriam Rivera," which re-examines exploitative media representations of transgender people, showcase her dedication to creating more nuanced and respectful portrayals of transgender experiences.
In 2020, Queerty recognized Lysette among fifty heroes "leading the nation toward equality, acceptance, and dignity for all people" in honor of the 50th anniversary of the first LGBTQ Pride parade. Through her continued success in films like "Hustlers" and "Monica," alongside her unwavering advocacy work, Lysette has established herself as both an accomplished performer and a vital voice for transgender rights and representation.
