2015 Trans 100 List Announced

The annual Trans 100 List honors trans and gender nonconforming people from across the United States for their contributions to society. Planned to coincide with the International Day of Transgender Visibility (March 31), the list, now in its third year, aims to be an extension of the holiday's mission --to raise awareness of the remarkable work being done within an often underrepresented community.

The full list was unveiled at live-streamed event in Chicago by co-directors Rebecca Kling and Crispin Torres unveiled. "It has been an amazing year for us at The Trans 100," Torres said. "Every year, the nomination list gets longer and the selection process harder. We are seeing the original vision of the trans 100 come to life: That if trans folks begin seeing more folks like themselves out in the world, not just surviving, but thriving, we can flip the script from trans survival to trans empowerment."

It was an evening of celebration, with highlights including addresses by media strategist Tiq Milan and movie director Lana Wachowski, and performances by Laura Grace Jones, Rocco Katastrophe Kayiatos, and Tona Brown.

Some honorees this year include:

Geena Rocero:

"Geena Rocero's life in the public eye began in Manila, Philippines, where she joined the TransWomen Beauty Pageant at the age of fifteen... After she "came out" to the entire world in her viral 2014 TED Talk, she founded Gender Proud, a non-profit dedicated to elevating transgender visibility."

Dr. Rachel Levine:

"Rachel is currently the Acting Physician General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the administration of Governor Tom Wolf. She is also a Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at the Penn State College of Medicine."

James Darling:

"James Darling is a Bay Area based adult performer, educator, and director from the Dirty South. James opened doors for other FTM performers by working with cis gay studio Alternadudes and was influential in helping Grooby's Transgender Erotica Awards change their name and include trans men."

See the full list on the Trans 100 website.