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What Does Joy Mean to Laverne Cox?
Behind the Scenes of Laverne Cox's Book Cover
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Table of Contents
About The Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Four-time Emmy-nominated actress Laverne Cox shares her journey as a transgender woman in Hollywood, confronting childhood trauma, shame, gender identity, her transition, body image issues, her search for romantic love, deep-seated feelings of unworthiness, and ultimately, healing.
Laverne Cox is a powerhouse in the fight for transgender rights and representation—but her path from a struggling trans actress to a cultural movement was anything but easy.
Surviving a childhood full of trauma, dealing with depression, and working at a drag restaurant in New York City for seven years, Laverne was turning forty and felt it was time to throw in the towel when it came to being a Hollywood star—then she booked the character of Sophia Burset in Orange is the New Black. Her world changed overnight.
She made history as the first openly transgender person nominated for a Primetime Emmy, starred in a range of high-profile shows, and became the first transgender person to win a Daytime Emmy as executive producer on Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word. A red-carpet fashion icon, podcast host, and fearless advocate, she uses her stardom to champion LGBTQ+ rights, whether on Hollywood’s biggest stages, her personal channels, or at Supreme Court hearings. And she’s only getting started.
In Transcendent, you will experience life in Laverne’s shoes, from her childhood abuse to making her big break, dealing with Hollywood bureaucracy, feeling lonely in a world that is unaccepting, and finding her voice through the chaos of it all. With behind-the-scenes stories and personal reflection, we can heal and fight for equality, right alongside Laverne.
Four-time Emmy-nominated actress Laverne Cox shares her journey as a transgender woman in Hollywood, confronting childhood trauma, shame, gender identity, her transition, body image issues, her search for romantic love, deep-seated feelings of unworthiness, and ultimately, healing.
Laverne Cox is a powerhouse in the fight for transgender rights and representation—but her path from a struggling trans actress to a cultural movement was anything but easy.
Surviving a childhood full of trauma, dealing with depression, and working at a drag restaurant in New York City for seven years, Laverne was turning forty and felt it was time to throw in the towel when it came to being a Hollywood star—then she booked the character of Sophia Burset in Orange is the New Black. Her world changed overnight.
She made history as the first openly transgender person nominated for a Primetime Emmy, starred in a range of high-profile shows, and became the first transgender person to win a Daytime Emmy as executive producer on Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word. A red-carpet fashion icon, podcast host, and fearless advocate, she uses her stardom to champion LGBTQ+ rights, whether on Hollywood’s biggest stages, her personal channels, or at Supreme Court hearings. And she’s only getting started.
In Transcendent, you will experience life in Laverne’s shoes, from her childhood abuse to making her big break, dealing with Hollywood bureaucracy, feeling lonely in a world that is unaccepting, and finding her voice through the chaos of it all. With behind-the-scenes stories and personal reflection, we can heal and fight for equality, right alongside Laverne.
Appearances
JUN 26
1:00PM
In Person
Learn MorePRIDE Book Fair 2026
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community
208 W 13th St.
New York, NY 10011
Product Details
- Publisher: Gallery Books (June 9, 2026)
- Length: 256 pages
- ISBN13: 9781668097755
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Raves and Reviews
"Cox is an engaging storyteller and excels at reanimating anecdotes with candor and wry humor...Saturated in themes of resilience, empowerment, and Black transgender pride, Cox’s confessional will resonate with queer readers and anyone who has had to struggle to find and reconcile the true essence of themselves." —Kirkus Reviews
“How did a kid from Mobile, Ala., scarred by community bigotry and family cruelty, grow into an Emmy-nominated actress and transgender trailblazer? This powerful memoir fills in the blanks, replete with defiance, tears and no shortage of glamour.” —New York Times
“One of the most visible trans advocates of our time is finally giving us her own account of what it took to survive, transition, and stay soft in a world that rewards her toughness. In a moment when trans lives are reduced to political props, her story isn’t optional reading; it’s a lifeline.”—Oprah Daily
“…Cox has walked a line in high heels most people couldn’t navigate barefoot. In her account of a life that began with abuse and included plenty of tough years, the author proves herself ‘in service to something bigger than me.’” —Los Angeles Times
“A journey through Cox’s history making career as one of Hollywood’s most high-profile transgender actors, as well as what she overcame to get there.” —USA Today
“A hotly anticipated reflection on the life of a groundbreaking actress who has cleared the way for so many non-gender-conforming performers, giving her the opportunity to be candid and vulnerable with her many fans.” —Book Riot
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Book Cover Image (jpg): Transcendent
Hardcover 9781668097755
