Tommy Dorfman, who played Ryan Shaver in Netflix’s ’13 Reasons Why’ and is going to make a film adaptation of Mason Deaver’s ‘I Wish You All the Best,’ reportedly revealed that she is transgender.
As per E! News, the artist opened up about her transition publicly for the first time in an interview with novelist Torrey Peters for an entertainment outlet, saying that she is not coming out, but simply explaining who she is.
When we were talking about it, she added, “It’s amusing to consider coming out when I haven’t gone anywhere. After a medical transition, I see today as a reintroduction to myself as a woman. Coming out is typically portrayed as a big reveal, but I was always out. Today is about being clear about who I am: I am a trans woman. She/her are my pronouns. Tommy is my name.”
Dorfman also claimed that she sought advice from people who had recently experienced similar situations “coming out as trans,” she said, adding that her journey isn’t one of “transition,” at least not in the sense of “moving anywhere.” “It’s just that I am who I am.”
Dorfman said she’s clarifying her gender now after understanding that if she doesn’t express who she is, she risks losing control of her own story, which has already hurt her emotionally.
She revealed, “As a public figure, I’ve learned that refusing to clarify can rob me of my ability to manage my own narrative. There has been a lot of talk about my body as a result of this medical shift, and it’s starting to feel overwhelming.”
Dorfman stated that she will not change her name because it has a particular meaning for her. Dorfman said the star was named after her mother’s brother, who died “a month after I was born.” As a result, she’s identified with her first name, which was given to her in honor of “an uncle who held me as he died.”
Rather, she stated, “This is Tommy’s progression. I’m starting to resemble Tommy. I adore my name, and I want to maintain it and breathe fresh life into it. I’m also quite proud of the person I was. That is something I believe should be acknowledged. I’m proud of who I’ve become over the last few years.”
The actor has never been shy about declaring her gender in public and has been documenting her identification on Instagram.
When we were talking about it, she remarked, “I’ve been living in this alternate reality of coming out in which I don’t feel safe talking about it, so I just do it. However, I know that shifting is a lovely thing. Why not show the rest of the world what that looks like?” “So I preserved a diaristic time capsule on Instagram instead — one that displays a body living in a more fluid space,” she continued.
According to Variety, GLAAD released a statement on Thursday in response to Dorfman’s declaration, praising the artist and activist for her efforts as an advocate for the LGBTQ community.
“Tommy Dorfman sharing that she is a transgender woman will inspire so many trans young people and also reminds us that when it comes to queer identification there is no precise timeline or blueprint to follow,” GLAAD’s head of talent, Anthony Allen Ramos, said in a statement.
Ramos added, “I appreciate Tommy’s work for the LGBTQ community.” “Tommy won GLAAD’s Rising Star Award in 2017 for utilizing her position to raise awareness about key LGBTQ issues, and she continues to do so at a time when the trans community is being targeted in states throughout the country. Tommy is a gifted artist, and we eagerly anticipate her articles on the transgender community.”
