Laverne Cox got a surprise call from Meghan Markle after Vogue cover
Laverne Cox was hand-picked for the British Vogue cover by Meghan Markle (Getty)
British royal Meghan Markle personally reached out to transgender actress Laverne Cox, after putting her on the cover of Vogue.
The Duchess of Sussex was invited to guest-edit the September edition of British Vogue, featuring 15 inspiring women under the headline “Forces for Change.”
Markle hand-picked a number of inspiring women for the cover, including climate change activist Greta Thunberg, New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, and trans actress Laverne Cox.
Meghan Markle made a surprise call to Laverne Cox
Speaking to People, Cox revealed that she had no idea that she had been selected by the Duchess of Sussex until she got a surprise phone call.
The actress explained: “I did not find that out until last week. [Editor-in-chief] Edward Enninful called me at 9:30 in the morning and he’s like, ‘I have someone on the phone for you,’ and it was the Duchess of Sussex.
“She was so lovely… she just thanked me for being an inspiration and to keep it up.”
Britain’s Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Patron of Smart Works, in the workroom of the Smart Works London office. (@SUSSEXROYAL/AFP/Getty Images)
Cox continued: “I did tell her I had been a fan of Suits since the beginning — I had been a fan of hers since then. I just loved her on the show. She just said, ‘Awww.’ She seemed surprised.”
Laverne Cox: Trans is beautiful and we must resist dehumanisation
Sharing the cover on Instagram, she added: “I assert daily that trans is beautiful. I am so blessed that as an artist my job is to highlight and celebrate everyone’s beautiful and imperfect humanity.
“We must not forget our shared humanity as we interact with each other, implement public policies, vote for elected officials. Even when we disagree we must still acknowledge each other’s humanity.
“We must not continue to allow the tactics of divide and conquer, dehumanisation to keep us from each other. Divide and conquer only serves those already in power.”
She continued: “Policies in my country that seek to dehumanise trans people by making it legal to discriminate against us in homeless shelters, healthcare, and employment must not be enacted. The ban against trans folks serving openly in our military must not stand.
“We need a senate and president that will pass and sign the Equality Act into law. Trans and nonbinary children must be protected.
“We must end the epidemic of violence against trans people. Trans people existing and thriving is not a threat to nontrans people existing and thriving.
“Let’s not allow scarcity narratives to keep us from each other. We can choose love not fear today.”
