Usually I avoid reality TV shows like the plague because frankly, I'm old school about my shows. I want a TV show that has great writing and compelling characters.
I was planning on ignoring I Want To Work For Diddy until I heard that one of the contestants was transwoman Laverne Cox. So as usual when you Google someone, interesting things sometimes pop up.
She had this to say on her site about being a Black transwoman that echos much of what I've been saying in various ways here on TransGriot.
Ain't I a woman? Black America, my brothers and sisters. I love you and claim you. Do you love and claim me as the black woman I am? My trans identity doesn't make me any less black.
Acknowledging me and my complex identity is an opportunity for us to reconnect to that dream of liberation that doesn't exclude but is about all oppressed people joining together to have a united voice, united in love and the possibility of deliverance. Ain't I a woman.
But back to the show. As much as I despise reality shows and consider some of them a waste of TV time, I may have to watch it. I'm definitely going to keep my eyes on this sister as well and hope she not only wins the job, but does the African-American transgender community proud in the process.
