Black History Month - Black Trans Women - February 20th

Today, I want to highlight someone that most people should know, Peppermint. Peppermint (born Agnes Moore) is an African American transgender woman, singer, actress, and drag performer based in New York City. She was active in the New York drag and nightlife scene for many years before becoming widely known as the runner up on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 9 in 2017, where she was the first openly transgender woman to compete on the show from the start of the season. In 2018, she made history on Broadway in the musical Head Over Heels, becoming the first openly transgender woman to originate a principal role on Broadway. She has continued working in theatre, music, and television, including stage performances and appearances connected to LGBTQ community events and Pride celebrations. Peppermint’s significance comes from visibility in spaces that historically excluded trans women. Rather than being known primarily for policy advocacy, she is recognized for her performing career and for being one of the first Black trans women many mainstream audiences encountered positively through entertainment and theatre.