--- title: Lilly Wachowski Makes Appearance After Transgender Reveal description: Lilly Wachowski was greeted with a standing ovation when she made her first appearance after coming out as a transgender woman canonical: https://time.com/4280108/lilly-wachowski-glaad-awards-transgender/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-04-03T14:51:48.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:55:59.160Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: Lilly Wachowski Makes First Public Appearance Since Coming Out as Transgender og:description: "Okay, first of all… ta-da" og:url: https://time.com/4280108/lilly-wachowski-glaad-awards-transgender/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt32afe2393ce04f50/69888d83196cf4604e03b051/lilly-wachowski.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4178 og:image:height: 2350 og:image:alt: Lilly-Wachowski og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Lilly Wachowski Makes First Public Appearance Since Coming Out as Transgender twitter:description: "Okay, first of all… ta-da" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt32afe2393ce04f50/69888d83196cf4604e03b051/lilly-wachowski.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Lilly Wachowski Makes First Public Appearance Since Coming Out as Transgender > Sponsored content. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account. ## Video: India Recognizes Transgender As A Third Gender [Watch (HLS stream): India Recognizes Transgender As A Third Gender](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/phUyVwNv.m3u8) (1:44)  _Published 2014-04-15. India's Supreme Court is requiring the government give transgender people equal access to all the social welfare programs offered to other minority groups, a move Indian media are calling a "landmark judgment."_ by [Maria Mercedes Lara/ People](https://time.com/author/people/) ## Maria Mercedes Lara/ People Contributor Apr 3, 2016 2:51 PM UTC  Lilly Wachowski speaks onstage during the 27th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on April 2, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. Lilly Wachowski speaks onstage during the 27th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on April 2, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images by [Maria Mercedes Lara/ People](https://time.com/author/people/) ## Maria Mercedes Lara/ People Contributor Apr 3, 2016 2:51 PM UTC Lilly Wachowski was greeted with a standing ovation when she made her first appearance after coming out as a transgender woman at the GLAAD Media Awards in Beverly Hills, California, on Saturday night. “Okay, first of all… ta-da,” Wachowski joked when she took to the stage to accept the award for outstanding drama series for her Netflix hit, _Sense8_. “Tonight is a culmination of confluent events for me,” she continued. “This was something that I became aware of shortly after receiving tonight’s invitation to tonight’s affair. Some synchronism of time-space that included the 20-year anniversary of _Bound_, the 2016 Trans Day of Visibility, and Pi day.” She continued, “It’s an excellent reminder that art is never static, and while the ideas of identity and transformation are critical components of our work, the bedrock that all ideas rest upon is love. Love is a crucial thing for transgender people. It’s a tether. For while our creativity can soar beyond a seemingly immutable biological gender designations, when faced with the rather simple proposition of whether or not we are lovable, our imagination falters. Too many of us end up on the wrong side of the existential question of love in oblivion. And so we ring that bell, not for everyone else’s sake, bit for our own. ” After thanking _Sense8_ cast and crew and her family, Wachowski said, “Now get out there and go love with all of your f——— might!” Wachowski (formerly known as Andy) [came out as transgender in early March](http://www.people.com/article/second-wachowski-sibling-comes-out-as-transgender)after she claimed that she was being threatened to be publicly outed by a reporter. Her sister, [Lana](http://www.people.com/article/lilly-lana-wachowski-transgender-transition-matrix), also came out as transgender in July 2012\. The siblings are perhaps best known for directing the _Matrix_ trilogy. Wachowski also told reporters at the event that she was feeling her “flight instincts” kick in at the event. “Every ‘trans’ instinct that I have is telling me to hide, telling me to run,” she said. “My flight instinct is off the charts right now. But, I’m transgender, so you are not going to let it smother your life, so you have to fight against it. That’s what is what I’m doing, \[laughs\] I’m in a battle right now. I’m battling.” • **Reporting by REAGAN ALEXANDER** _This_ [_story_](http://www.people.com/article/lilly-wachowski-transgender-glaad-awards) _originally appeared on_ [_People.com_](http://people.com) ## Transcript The world's largest democracy now recognizes a third gender status for those who identify as neither male nor female. India's Supreme Court is requiring the government give transgender people equal access to all the social welfare programs offered to other minority groups. Indian media are calling that decision a landmark judgment. Al Jazeera quotes one of the justices who said while handing down the ruling, recognition of transgenders as a third gender is not a social or medical issue, but a human rights issue. The ruling surely came as a relief for the activists who had campaigned on behalf of India's estimated three million transgendered people. But a Dubai- based equal rights activist tells Deutsche Avaya, don't expect attitudes to change overnight. Discrimination against the transgender people is deeply ingrained in people's minds. They are economically and socially marginalized, and are not even treated as humans. So, in a sense, Tuesday's judging seems surprising from a traditionally conservative country like India. But while the West has been slow to move on transgender rights, Southeast Asia has been at the forefront. Most recently neighboring Nepal added a third gender option on it's citizenship certificates, and last year, Bangladesh too officially recognized a third gender. Still it is worth noting Tuesday's ruling came from the same court that in December reinstated a ban on gay sex, infuriating LGBT activists around the world. According to the BBC, this leaves transgender people in an awkward situation. They are now legally recognized and protected under the Constitution, but on the other hand, they may be breaking the law if they have consensual gay sex. While rarely enforced, gay sex in India is currently punishable by up to 10 years in prison. 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