Janet Mock, an author, TV host and transgender activist, shared her wisdom with Columbia last Wednesday. She shared messages about gender, race, the value of community and her future plans.
In a discussion led by MU professor Christina Carney, Mock provided thought-provoking talking points and talked about her path to where she is now. Mock has been highly successful in the past few years, having published two memoirs and hosted TV shows. Now, she’s working on the production of a new TV series and has countless goals — in fact, one of them is to “do too much.”
Mock is an activist in high demand, working with people like Laverne Cox and even appearing in one of Jay-Z’s recent music videos. But that wasn’t always her story. Mock told the audience about her time in college when she felt isolated living in New York City. A community she felt like she could belong to was nearby (she was just blocks away from where the Stonewall riots took place), yet she never reached out.
“I was like that girl in _[America’s Next] Top Model_ who’s like, ‘I’m not here to make friends,’” she said. Her advice was to be proactive about finding a community because having a strong group of people who stand beside you is incredibly valuable and can create a sense of belonging. Before Mock found a community, she felt very disconnected.
“A community is made up of people that don’t really expect anything of me,” Mock said. “I can show up completely empty, and that’s more than enough.”
While Mock had much to share, she knows that many other people in her community do as well. Recently, she’s been trying to say “no” sometimes because she knows that her voice has been heard by many. Instead, she wants to elevate the voices of other black trans women, who have their own unique stories and perspectives to share.
As for her future, she wants to continue to tell stories of underrepresented communities on different platforms. She’s currently working on an upcoming show, _Pose,_ which is set to air on FX later this year. The show features five trans women of color as series regulars, something virtually unseen in today’s media. Through this, she aims to challenge depictions of transgender womanhood and create more representation.
“I’ve told enough of my own stories,” Mock said. “Real representation means providing mirrors for young people to be able to see themselves.”
With more figures like Janet Mock on the rise, the future looks brighter and more diverse. Soon enough, the stories we hear will span a variety of backgrounds.
“I want to tell stories that matter,” Mock said. “I’ve wanted to do that since I was a kid.”
_Edited by Brooke Collier | bcollier@themaneater.com_