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Former Disney Actor Josie Totah Comes Out As Transgender

‘I let myself be shoved into a box: “J.J. Totah, gay boy”’

Former Glee star Josie Totahhas come out as transgender in an incredibly powerfulpersonal essay for TIME.

“I was afraid I wouldn’t be accepted, that I would be embarrassed, that the fans who knew me from the time when I acted in aDisneyshow would be confused,” Josiewrites in the piece.

Josie Totah has come out as transgender in a personal essay for TIME magazine.

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Josie Totah has come out as transgender in a personal essay for TIME magazine.

But it looks like all of that is now finally changing and Josie adds: “But I realized over the past few years that hiding my true self is not healthy. I know now, more than ever, that I’m finally ready to take this step toward becoming myself.”

“I’m ready to be free. So, listen up y’all: You can jump on or jump off. Either way this is where I’m heading. ”

Josie Totah has come out as transgender in a personal essay for TIME magazine.

Getty

Josie Totah has come out as transgender in a personal essay for TIME magazine.

In a powerful phrasesharing her gender withthe world, the star wrote: “My pronouns areshe,herandhers. I identify as female, specifically as a transgender female. And my name is Josie Totah.”

“This is not something that just happened. This is not a choice that I made.

She went on to say: “When I was five, long before I understood what the wordgendermeant, I would always tell my mother that I wished I were a girl.”

Josie Totah has come out as transgender in a personal essay for TIME magazine.

Getty

Josie Totah has come out as transgender in a personal essay for TIME magazine.

But working the acting industry for as long as she has, she was simply typecast and didn’t know how to alter that perception.

"When I was really young, growing up in a small town in Northern California, people would just assume I was gay," she writes."Numerous reporters have asked me in interviews how it feels to be a young gay man. I was even introduced that way before receiving an award from an LGBTQ+ rights organization. I understand that they didn’t really know better. I almost felt like I owed it to everybody to be that gay boy. But that has never been the way I think of myself."

Josie continues: "In the past, I’ve halfway corrected people by telling them I identify as LGBTQ. I wasn’t ready to be more specific."

“I never want to feel like I’m not allowed in somewhere because of who I am. I’m scared that being transgender is going to limit me in that way,” she explained.“But when my friends and family call me Josie, it feels like I’m being seen.”

Naturally both fans and those close to her were quick to share the love for this powerful piece of writing and that includesMindy Kaling, who played Josie'smother in comedy show Champions.

We’re super glad Josie is now living in her truth, and we can’t wait to see what she does next.

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