Angelica Ross Will Be First Trans Person to Host Presidential Forum

Angelica Ross is going to make history on an evening where there's already plenty of history-making to go around.

On Sept. 20, candidates like Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, and Elizabeth Warren will take the stage to debate LGBTQ+ rights in a first-of-its-kind event hosted by GLAAD, The Advocate, and One Iowa. The LGBTQ+ forum will give the Democratic contenders a chance to discuss issues pertaining specifically to queer and trans people, which have been virtually ignored in the three rounds of presidential debates thus far.

As candidates like Kamala Harris confirm attendance to the event, the entertainment website Deadlinereported on Monday that Ross will moderate the event. The star of Pose and American Horror Story will be joined on stage by GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis.

According to the report, the pair will ask candidates to outline "their plan and vision for improving [LGBTQ+] acceptance in a divisive time for marginalized communities."

In a Monday tweet, Ross said she was "ready and excited" to be a part of the groundbreaking forum. In addition to this being the only presidential forum on LGBTQ+ rights in history, the actress -- who recently became the first trans person to be a series regular in two television shows -- will become the first trans person to ever host a presidential event of this stature.

During the 2016 election cycle, CNN host Anderson Cooper became the first openly gay man to moderate a debate during the presidential primaries.

In a statement, Ellis recognized the importance of Friday's event.

"This [LGBTQ+] Presidential Forum is a pivotal moment in the 2020 election cycle," she wrote. "It's the first time that LGBTQ issues will be exclusively discussed by 2020 presidential candidates on a national stage. We look forward to hearing how the 2020 candidates plan to reverse the attacks and rollbacks of the Trump administration and put [LGBTQ+] Americans on a course to 100 percent acceptance."

Other candidates who have confirmed attendance include Cory Booker, Julian Castro, Tulsi Gabbard, Amy Klobuchar, Joe Sestak, and Marianne Williamson. Beto O'Rourke, Bernie Sanders, and Andrew Yang have yet to RSVP to either the GLAAD event or a LGBTQ+ town hall set to be hosted by CNN next.

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