While the Emmy Awards ceremony is known to provide viewers with memorable moments and inspirational speeches, sometimes the Emmys red carpet can prove to be just as noteworthy — and, thankfully, no longer just from a fashion perspective. Now that women are getting asked more than just "Who are you wearing?," we don't have to rely solely on acceptance speeches to hear the powerful messages that some of our favorite TV stars would like to get across. For example, Orange Is the New Black star Laverne Cox had a few inspirational words to share on the 2015 Emmys red carpet this year about sexual orientation, gender identity, and so much more that will make you fall in love with her all over again.
"I am so honored and grateful to be a part of a show that means so much to so many people in a world where systems tell so many folks that their lives don't matter, that their stories don't matter," Cox shared with E! host Ryan Seacrest. "I'm on a show where every sentence has a story. It doesn't matter what you've done, what size you are, what sexual orientation, gender identity, age, size, your story matters. And that's wonderful."
Pretty powerful stuff, right? And a lot more interesting than sticking to the latest fashion trends and labels. These are topics that are so important to get out there, and it's because of influential people like Cox that we are now making great strides toward having conversations like these be a common occurrence. And she could not be more thrilled with the changes that are being made:
"It’s really hard to take in [being named one of the most influential people in Time Magazine], to be perfectly honest… But I think it means so much to the people who have looked to me for inspiration, who have looked to my story as a face of possibility," she said. "I am a black transgender woman from a working class background raised by a single mother from Mobile, Alabama, and I am here at the party. I get to have this amazing platform because of Orange Is the New Black to speak about things that matter to me, and it’s a reflection of where the world is going in terms of real inclusivity."
So even though Cox is not nominated for a statuette this year, I think we can all agree that she's already a winner.
