Laverne Cox

Transgender actor Laverne Cox bares it all for Allure magazine’s Nude issue.

Laverne Cox

Cox, who suffers from Body Dysmorphic Disorder, believes he is a female “trapped” inside a man’s body. The disorder causes misery, anxiety and depression in most sufferers who go to extremes to mutilate their body parts in their desperate attempts to achieve stereotypical feminine features.

From Allure magazine:

“Going through life, you try to cover and hide, but it doesn’t really work,” says the Orange Is the New Black star, 30, who at first turned down Allure’s request to pose nude. “I said no initially, thought about it, and said no again,” she says. “But I’m a black transgender woman. I felt this could be really powerful for the communities that I represent. Black women are not often told that we’re beautiful unless we align with certain standards. Trans women certainly are not told we’re beautiful. Seeing a black transgender woman embracing and loving everything about herself might be inspiring to some other folks. There’s beauty in the things we think are imperfect. That sounds very cliché, but it’s true.” Cox wanted these pictures for herself, too: “I honestly just want to make myself happy most, and if other people like it, then that’s great. If they don’t, then I’m still happy.”

Thanks to loyal reader Ernest O. for the tip.

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