Michaela Jae Rodriguez recently took home the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Series. Her win comes from her role as Blanca Evangelista in the FX Series, Pose, which tells about the ballroom scene in 1980s New York, and the struggles queer people endured during the HIV/AIDS crisis. These balls were spaces in which queer individuals could let go of their fears of the outside world and be the peope they want to be. From drag queens, to trans men and women, the balls were a staple in LGBTQ+ culture during the 80s and 90s.

But Rodriguez’ win marks a very important milestone in not just the history of the Golden Globes, but also for the LGBTQ+ Community. Her win marks the first time a trans woman of color has won the award, and has set the groundwork for future trans actors and actresses. 

Rodriguez’ journey began back when she was a child, starting her involvement in theater at the age of seven, eventually making her way into the ballroom scene at the age of 14 where her house father taught her how to vogue (a dance pioneered by gay and trans people of color in Harlem’s ballroom scene in the 1980s). After graduating from Newark Arts High School, Rogriguez’ strong connection with the character Angel from Jonathan Larson’s ‘RENT’ led to her being offered an audition for an off-broadway production, and landing the role of the character in 2011. 

In 2012, she began her journey to begin her transition, with hormone replacement therapy beginning in 2016. During this time, she had some minor roles in several TV series, but remained relatively private to continue with her transition. But in that same year, she revealed that she had auditioned for the role of Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds, which sent shockwaves across the broadway and LGBTQ+ scene due to the fact that she was a trans actress auditioning for a cisgender role. 

After a slew of off-broadway stage productions, Rodriguez made her grand debut as a lead actress in FX’s ‘Pose’ in 2017. Her character, Blanca Evangelista, is a trans-woman who, after receiving a positive diagnosis for HIV, leaves her old house to establish her own in an effort to leave a legacy. Her performance was praised by critics, and she became the first openly trans-woman to receive the Best Actress in a Television Series at the Imagen Awards. 

Which brings her to 2021, where following the release of the third season of Pose, she received her Golden Globe nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Television Series in December of that year. And on January 9th, 2022, Rodriguez took home the award, marking the first time in the history where a trans-woman of color has won a Golden Globe. Her win ushers in a new era for the entertainment industry, and will set the stage for more transgender actors and actresses to recieve the recognition that they deserve.