Laverne Cox Addresses Controversy Over Past Relationship

Transgender trailblazer Laverne Cox got candid about how people reacted when she revealed her past relationship with a Trump supporter. In a recent video, Cox, who you might know from her role in "Clean Slate," talked about her romance with a New York City police officer. This guy was not only a Republican voter but also a supporter who rocked a "Make America Great Again" hat. In a preview clip from her new solo show "Gurrl, How Did I Get Here," Cox opened up about her relationship with this younger man—22 years her junior, actually—who she dated seriously until they split last year. Despite their time together, Cox was quick on her feet in making it clear that she never hopped on board with his political beliefs.

Reactions from within her community Naturally, this snippet set off a bit—or, well, a lot—of upset in parts within her LGBTQ+ community. Some folks saw Cox's choice in partners as a letdown. Among those voicing their frustrations were familiar faces from "RuPaul's Drag Race" like Mo Heart, Jaida Essence Hall, and Coco Montrese, who took their opinions online.

How Laverne Cox responded Taking her thoughts online, Laverne Cox dove deeper in an Instagram Live session, tackling all that backlash head-on. As she put it, "When we matched on Tinder, his job or political views? Total mystery. He told me something completely different at first." Reflecting on that time in her life, Cox shared, "I fell hard. There was something about his soul that was just beautiful, so many good qualities. Once I learned more about his job and politics, especially during 2020, we dug deep, having real talks about white supremacy and finding common ground." She stressed how she values engaging empathetically with differing opinions, saying, "It's a big part why I was in that relationship." And she reiterated she never aligned with her ex's politics and has never cast a vote in favor Trump.

Dealing with political differences Remember that "Make America Great Again" slogan? It's become almost synonymous with Trump. Since he stepped onto that presidential stage, he rolled out policies that many feel targeted transgender folks. These included trying things like banning trans individuals from military service, slicing federal funding meant explicitly provide gender-affirming care young people, even blocking trans and non-binary folks from getting passports with their correct gender marker until a judge shut it down. In her video, Cox acknowledged why some saw her relationship as a "betrayal." Still, she urged folks look beyond, pointing out, "His humanity was more than just who he voted—I truly believe that's everyone."

The call empathy understanding Cox voiced her worries about how those with different political views are often dehumanized, saying, "There's a lot we see in comments that strip humanity away from people who think differently, treating them as less than. That's not where my values lie. Fascism? Totally not in my lane." She wrapped with a heartfelt call compassion: "I won't hate anyone. That's not me. We'll fight fascists and their regimes, sure, but let's not strip our humanity away like we accuse them doing." We'd love hear your thoughts on Laverne's perspective. Dive in comments, keeping it civil and respectful, please.