Filmmaker and sister to Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski, has revealed she identifies as female and is a woman.
The Wachowski siblings are known for their sci-fi film and television works, including ‘The Matrix’ series and Netflix’s smash-hit ‘Sense8’. Lilly’s older sister Lana also announced she was transgender in 2008.
Lilly Wachowski released a statement to Windy City News, revealing she felt pressured into making her announcement to avoid being outed by a UK media publication.
Wachowski revealed she was asked for a photograph by a Daily Mail staffer, who told her she wanted to “tell [her] story which was so inspirational!”
“It was the ‘news’ organization that had played a huge part in the national public outing of Lucy Meadows, an elementary school teacher and trans woman in the UK,” Wachowski wrote.
“Now here they were, at my front door, almost as if to say – ‘There’s another one! Let’s drag ’em out in the open so we can all have a look!”
“Being transgender is not easy,” Wachowski wrote. “We live in a majority-enforced gender binary world. This means when you’re transgender you have to face the hard reality of living the rest of your life in a world that is openly hostile to you.”
Wachowski continues to say she considers herself lucky to have the support of her family, and the means to afford doctors and mental health support.
“Transgender people without support, means and privilege do not have this luxury. And many do not survive.”
GLAAD director of programs for transgender media Nick Adams showed his support for Wachowski in a statement, where he also warns the media to take caution in their coverage.
“GLAAD is thrilled that Lilly Wachowski is able to be her true and authentic self today, however, she should not have been forced to disclose her transgender identity before she was ready to do so,” Adams wrote.
“Journalists must learn that it is unacceptable to out a transgender person, in the same way it is unacceptable to out a person who is gay, lesbian or bisexual.”
You can read Lilly Wachowski’s full statement here.
OIP Staff
Sources
