Corey Rae on the Power of a Public Life

Photo by Elena Mitchell Photography

Corey Rae is an activist, an actress, a model, a writer, and more. She has dedicated her platform to changing social stigmas surrounding transgender women — a platform that began with a personal website for her modeling portfolio. 

After transitioning as a teenager, Corey had been living “stealth” during her early adulthood, choosing not to share her transition experience with the people in her life. She came out as transgender following tragic events at an LGBTQ nightclub in 2016, publishing her first blog post on her website. The post went viral and garnered press coverage, creating new opportunities for Corey to bring her message of support, authenticity, and inclusivity to greater audiences.

Since that first post, Corey has expanded her digital presence, publishing a series of thoughtful interviews with members of the LGBTQIA+ community on her site and using social media to elevate fashion and beauty brands that are actively working towards inclusivity and positive impact. We spoke to Corey about her experience as a public activist and using digital spaces to create change.

SQUARESPACE: How has your life changed since you published your coming out post “Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself”?

COREY RAE: In every way possible my life has changed since publishing that post and coming out so publicly, years after transitioning and living stealth. In many ways I feel like my true life started once I came out. It felt like I was able to finally breathe. Since that day in June 2016 I’ve worked to stand up and fight for the LGBTQ+ community while assimilating myself into the community, two things I hadn’t really done until writing and publishing that post. One of my biggest changes has been navigating the dating world now that I am open about my experience as a transgender woman, but the process in finding an accepting partner has shaped me in ways I didn’t know I needed. When I transitioned I didn’t know if I would ever be able to be my true self and share my story; I didn’t think this wave of transgender liberation would happen until I was in my 50s or 60s. So, my life has most definitely changed for the better and I am genuinely a happier person and feel I am on the path I am intended to be on.

SQSP: After that post went viral, what initial steps did you take to build your platform?

CR: I really wasn’t prepared for my story to go as viral as it did, so I didn’t really have content to follow up with, which most people will tell you is key to maintaining growth. I ended up spending a lot of my time within those next few months writing very honest, revealing, personal posts to engage my audience. I continued to update my website as best as I could, and chronicled my move back to Los Angeles, which happened 7 months after my first post. I also began to take social media more seriously and started to grow my following there, which has helped immensely with building my platform and creating traction to my website.

SQSP: In your recent social media post for Squarespace for National Coming Out Day, you mentioned that in 2009 when you began to transition, it was more challenging to find information about transgender life than it is now. How has the evolution of the internet over the past decade empowered people to find answers and build supportive communities?

CR: Yes, it was most definitely a more challenging time to find information about being transgender, especially trans-youth, and it was more challenging to transition as well. Social media wasn’t the power house it is today. Therefore, I had a lack of healthy, positive transgender representation in my life; which is part of the fuel that keeps me going, I want to be part of that representation for LGBTQIA+ people.

I think one of the best parts of social media and the evolution of the internet is the ability for anyone, almost anywhere, to safely explore and educate themselves. The access to information seems to be endless and it gives LGBTQIA+ people the ability to discover who they truly are, and then find a community they can go to without their friends, loved ones, places of worship, etc. finding out. There are proper LGBT center websites, online community groups and chat rooms, as well as transgender/LGBTQIA+ influencers, celebrities, and content creators such as  myself who have made their social media channels a safe space. I know first hand how this has positively affected transgender individuals of all ages, and knowing that it helps so many people everyday makes spending a good portion of my time on social media worth it.

SQSP: What types of action do you hope to inspire with your work?

CR: I hope my work inspires people to do their own research and educate themselves on gender identity and the gender spectrum. I want everyone to learn how to listen and respect differing opinions and lifestyles. I want everyone  to keep an open mind, be less judgmental, and be more caring and kind to one another. I want people understand that transgender individuals are beautiful, courageous, real, and valid human beings who deserve acceptance, equality, respect, and love. An important lesson I’ve learned is that there is no one way to be transgender or to transition, and I hope the general public will come to understand that; and stop putting pressure on us to “pass” or transition to their liking. I also hope my work will inspire Hollywood to hire more people on the gender spectrum and to make happy transgender stories for the world to enjoy.

SQSP: What advice do you have for brands seeking to engage in social change in an authentic way?

CR: Hire diverse people. Hire LGBTQIA+ people within your brand and hire them to promote your brand as well; such as influencers, models, etc. The more variety in representation, the better off our world is. I urge brands to support us year round, not just during Pride month, and if they can, contribute proceeds from their sales toward an LGBTQIA+ organization. I also want companies to make sure that they are creating a safe work space, and have the proper company policies in place to protect any transgender employees, such as medical coverage and allowing them to use their preferred bathrooms. Authentic success comes from within and it will show to the public.

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