On January 8, thirty-one-year-old Michaela Jaé “M.J.” Rodriguez, made history and became the first transgender woman to accept a Golden Globe for best actress in a TV drama. Rodriguez plays nurse and housemother Blanca Evangelista on the show Pose. Rodriguez’s character is a salon owner, and later becomes a nurse’s aide, who left her ballroom house to start a new life and a new ballroom house. Though Pose has been nominated 20 times for a Golden Globe in the past, this is the first award won for the show, which first debuted back in June 2018. Rodriguez also made history again last summer, as she became the first transgender actor to be nominated for an Emmy. 

Though the ceremony was small and there were no acceptance speeches, Rodriquez later went to Instagram to give thanks to those she works with, her fans, and spoke out for others including the LGBTQ+ community. “This is for the LGBTQAI, Black, Latina, Asian, the many multi beautiful colors of the rainbow around the freaking world. This is not just for me, this is for y’all. There are going to be so many young individuals- young, talented thriving individuals- that are going to be able to trail in and storm in through the door. This is for y’all.”

Pose, which ended in June 2021, explores the life of trans and people of color living in New York City in the 1980s and 1990s. According to NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour, the show became “a hit for its bold depiction of joy and trauma of LGBTQ life amidst the backdrop of the AIDS crisis.” Though the show is popular, the cast has publicly spoken out about what they feel is a lack of appreciation and honor. Angelica Ross, who plays Candy Abundance in the show, said on Instagram before the award was given, “I want you to know from the jump that these tears are not about an award or a nomination,” Ross said on Instagram at the time. “Ultimately, I need y’all to understand that I’m so tired — those of you who know me know I’m not just working on screen or behind screen but I’m working around the clock to get our society to value trans lives and Black trans lives.” 

Rodriguez, along with the rest of the cast, have had issues with being on the show such as members of the cast getting jumped, yelled at, and even fighting with the public. But, this hasn’t stopped them from continuing to put on a show that many believe represents so many cultures and members of the LGBTQ+ community across the globe. Rodriguez said in an interview with NPR, “You know, I’ve had a lot of things that have happened to me, but I look past those things now and now I’m moving forward and I always believe that the experiences that you go through are what make you stronger and what help you push forward through life.”