Transgender actress, producer, and activist Laverne Cox has announced the release of a deeply personal new memoir titled Transcendent, scheduled to be published on June 9, 2026. The book was officially revealed alongside its cover in an exclusive interview with People, timed to coincide with Transgender Day of Remembrance.
In Transcendent, Cox reflects on her life and career with an honesty that goes beyond public milestones. The memoir traces her journey from growing up in Mobile, Alabama, to navigating poverty, depression, and rejection while pursuing an acting career in New York City. Cox has said the book represents a period of reflection she could only approach after gaining emotional stability and perspective.
For years, Cox resisted writing a memoir, explaining that she needed the distance and strength to revisit painful chapters of her life. In her interview, she noted that the process required confronting experiences she had not previously shared in full, including moments of deep self-doubt and professional uncertainty. Her intention, she said, is for readers to see not just the public figure but the person who survived before the success arrived.
The memoir also examines Cox’s breakthrough role as Sophia Burset on Orange Is the New Black, which made her the first openly transgender person nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in an acting category. While that moment marked a turning point in her public visibility, Transcendent explores the years of struggle that preceded it, including working multiple jobs and questioning whether her dreams were realistic or sustainable.
According to early descriptions, Cox recounts reaching a breaking point in her late thirties when her career had stalled and financial pressures mounted. She writes candidly about how close she came to giving up and how unexpected opportunities reshaped her future. The book also addresses broader themes of race, gender identity, family relationships, and the emotional toll of existing in industries that often marginalize trans people.
Cox has long been recognized not only for her acting work but also for her advocacy. She became the first transgender person to win a Daytime Emmy Award as an executive producer for the documentary Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word. Through public speaking, media appearances, and activism, she has consistently used her platform to challenge misconceptions about transgender lives and push for greater understanding.
At a time when transgender people face increased political and cultural hostility, Transcendent arrives as both a personal narrative and a broader statement about resilience. Cox has expressed hope that the book will resonate especially with trans readers who feel unseen or discouraged, offering reassurance that uncertainty and struggle do not invalidate one’s worth or future.
Transcendent will be released in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats. Preorders are already available through major booksellers. As anticipation builds, Cox’s memoir is expected to add an important and timely voice to the growing body of transgender literature, centering lived experience, survival, and self-affirmation.
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