The category is…historic win realness. Michaela Jae Rodriguez (Mj Rodriguez) made history last night at the 2022 Golden Globes as the first trans woman to ever win a Golden Globe for best actress in a TV drama. Rodriguez took home the prize for her role as housemother and nurse Blanca in FX’s Pose.
The Golden Globes has been swamped in controversy for years because of the lack of representation but that did not stop Rodriguez from truly basking in her moment. The New Yorker took to Instagram to share her acceptance speech. In turn, she gave young LGBTQ+ people of color a moment to be proud and represent our communities.
“This is the door that is going to open the door for many more young talented individuals,” she wrote. “They will see that it is more than possible. They will see that a young Black Latina girl from Newark New Jersey who had a dream, to change the minds others would WITH LOVE. LOVE WINS. To my young LGBTQAI babies WE ARE HERE the door is now open now reach the stars!!!!!”
Pose has been a trailblazing show giving LGBTQ+ people of color a chance to tell their own stories. The gritty and unflinching look at the lives of Black and Latine trans and queer people living in New York City during the AIDS crisis was revolutionary when it first aired. Mj Rodriguez, as well as the rest of the cast, have delivered in giving a voice to a community often ignored by the mainstream media.
The 2022 Golden Globes awards were a little different this year. The show was untelevised after NBC announced it would not air the 2022 show. Instead of a red carpet and celebrity presenters, the awards were announced on Twitter and without fanfare. And while change is far from being over, this is a historic moment and a step forward.