As the holiday season shifts into full gear, it is time to be mindful of the struggles that many sexual and gender diverse youth and adults experience – including depression, loneliness, suicidal thoughts and even action.  The pain and struggle of everyday life is amplified in contexts where others are connecting with family and friends and joyfully indulging in celebrations that dull our sensitivity to the pain of others.

On the Netflix miniseries “Orange is the New Black” Laverne plays the part of Sophia Burset, who is a transgender woman who went to prison for credit-card fraud. Originally a firefighter named Marcus, Sophia was unhappy with living as a man and transitioned with the support of her wife Crystal. Sophia committed fraud to finance her operation and hormone therapy. She has a young son named Michael, who had difficulty with her transition.

Watch this wonderful video that Laverne Cox posted for the “It Gets Better” Project, telling her own story of how it got better for her.