In presenting an award on Saturday to
transgender actress-activist Laverne Cox, actress Ellen Page called
her a personal hero.
“One of the best things about it,”
Page said of coming
out gay in February, “was the way it enabled me to publicly
show support for the people who inspire me and give me courage. And
I'm here to do just that tonight for one of my heroes, Laverne Cox.”
Page presented Cox, who plays a
transgender character on Netflix's Orange is the New Black,
with GLAAD's Stephen F. Kolzak Award, which is presented to an openly
lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender media professional who has made
a significant difference in promoting equality, at the 25th
annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles.
“I'm an African-American transgender
woman from a working class background raised by a single mother,”
said Cox in receiving the award. “We are not programmed to think
we should receive these kinds of awards, but I'd like to think that
things are changing.” (The video is embedded on this page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)
Cox is also producing the documentary
Free CeCe about the plight of Chrishaun Reed “CeCe”
McDonald, an African-American transgender woman and activist.
(Related: Jennifer
Lopez presented with gay rights advocacy award by Rita Moreno.)