13 Reasons Why actor, Tommy Dorfman, recently spoke in an interview where she disclosed that she is a transgender woman. Dorfman is best known for portraying Ryan Shaver, a student at Liberty High, in the popular Netflix television series, 13 Reasons Why (2017 – 2020). She appeared in the first two seasons as a recurring character, and again as a guest in season four.

Since 13 Reasons Why, she has also debuted on stage in The New Group’s production of Daddy (Jeremy O. Harris), and been involved in the fashion industry. She designed a collection for ASOS in 2017 and frequently showcases her unique style on social media. Over time on Dorfman’s Instagram, she has been adapting her style, which has led to a host of theorizing, which Tommy also addressed in her interview.

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On July 22nd 2021, Tommy Dorfman announced she was transgender in an interview with Torrey Peters for TIME magazine. She disclosed that she had been living as a transgender woman in private, but was now reintroducing herself to the world following her medical transition. She used her social media platform as an online diary to capture her transition over the year. Read Dorfman's statement below:

“It’s funny to think about coming out, because I haven’t gone anywhere. I view today as a reintroduction to me as a woman, having made a transition medically. Coming out is always viewed as this grand reveal, but I was never not out. Today is about clarity: I am a trans woman. My pronouns are she/her. My name is Tommy.”

13 Reasons Why Ryan

Dorfman felt that TIME was the right place to announce and discuss her identity, as it has been the platform for many transgender individuals, including Laverne Cox, Josie Totah, and Elliot Page. She discusses that there are a plethora of ways to come out, but the conventional method of disappearing online and returning later with a new name and body wasn’t a feasible option for her, more so as she views her updated she/her pronouns as an evolution of her existing identity, rather than a transition. She also proclaims that she will not be changing her name, as some choose to, which was passed down from her mother’s brother, but that she has to acknowledge other losses as part of the journey, such as her nine-year relationship with Peter Zurkuhlen.

In the United States, hundreds of bills are being introduced to eradicate the rights of members of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly younger transgender individuals. These anti-trans legislations are providing a devastating message to all who identify as LGBTQ+, stripping them of their rights to partake in sports events and receive proper health care, as well as hindering vital education on gender identity. Recognizing that transgender people are one of the most disadvantaged in society, Tommy Dorfman advocates for activism to protect the lives of trans people, urging all to educate themselves. Transgender celebrities provide a catalyst for others to rally for freedom, equality, authenticity – and the more people who become truly themselves, the stronger the fight against injustice and discrimination.

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Source: TIME