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HOME SCENE NEWS NOVEMBER 13, 2017 11:34PM PT
Laverne Cox, Chelsea Clinton Discuss Political, Trans Activism at Glamour Women of the Year Summit
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Laverne Cox, Chelsea Clinton Discuss Political, Trans Activism at Glamour Women of the Year Summit
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Glamour Women of the Year Awards
CREDIT: STEPHEN LOVEKIN/WWD/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
Activists Chelsea Clinton and Laverne Cox sat down with CBS News anchor Alex Wagner to discuss the importance of persistence in regards to success and equality at the Glamour Women of the Year Live Summit 2017 held at the Brooklyn Museum Monday morning.
“I think it’s really important that trans women are included in talks about women,” said Cox, who is the first openly transgender woman to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy award in an acting category for her work on “Orange Is the New Black.”
“I think if we don’t start with inclusion we are already behind,” added Clinton.
“Love is a huge part of the persistence for me,” continued Cox, explaining that with all the odds against her — “being black, and being trans, and also being a woman — there [wasn’t] a road map to success” for her as an actor.
Clinton, who had nothing but praise for Cox, said it’s stories like Cox’s and the 13 others featured in her children’s book about inspirational women who wouldn’t take no for an answer that shift the culture.
“People are coming up to me now and say they are sharing [“She Persisted”] with their sons and [saying] how important they now recognize it is to share stories of strong persistent women with their sons,” said Clinton.
Both activists agreed that the next steps to equality involve changing the way parents raise their children. Clinton revealed at the age of six she held mock debates with her parents Bill and Hillary, which helped her tell the difference between “what politics should be versus what politics often are.”
“Today, so much of our political discourse is not about solutions, not about what we actually could or should be doing to lift more people up and to empower more people. We have to get to a place where we have shared understanding of what we should be talking about,” Clinton said.
The summit hosted by model Ashley Graham came as the entertainment industry deals with a slew of sexual harassment scandals, leading many discussions to touch on the topic of sexual harassment, consent, and wellness. The Facebook Live-streamed event featured talks with Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, Naomi Campbell, Uzo Aduba, Tracee Ellis Ross, Gabrielle Union, and HBO documentary films president Sheila Nevins.