Have you met the Wachowski sisters?
Make no mistake, these were the same people behind the highly successful neo-noir science fiction action “The Matrix” film franchise.
Larry and Andy, otherwise known together professionally as “the Wachowski Brothers”, made their directing debut in 1996 with “Bound”. But it was their second film, 1999’s “The Matrix”, that catapulted them to fame. Riding on the success of “The Matrix”, they wrote and directed its 2 sequels: “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions” (both in 2003), and were deeply involved in the writing and production of other works in the franchise.
The brothers would go on to work on 2006’s “V for Vendetta”, 2008’s “Speed Racer”, 2012’s “Cloud Atlas”, and 2015’s “Jupiter Ascending”.
Their work schedules weren’t the only thing that kept them busy in the recent years. In 2000, rumours were rife about Larry transitioning and a possible gender reassignment surgery. It was denied for years but in July 2012, Larry emerged in the public for the first time as Lana Wachowski. Magazines and newspapers then started referring to the Wachowski Brothers as “Andy and Lana Wachowski”.
Lana is the first major Hollywood director to come out as transgender. She went on to received the Human Rights Campaign’s “Visibility Award” in October 2012 and the “Freedom Award” from Equality Illinois in February 2014.
Where does that leave Andy Wachowski then? Well, just today, it was announced that Andy has also come out as transgender and will from this point onwards be known as Lilly Wachowski. Lilly came out in a statement to Windy City Times after being threatened with outing by other media i.e. Daily Mail, whose reporter rocked right up to her doorstep for the story.
In her statement, she said, “My sister Lana and I have largely avoided the press. I find talking about my art frustratingly tedious and talking about myself a wholly mortifying experience. I knew at some point I would have to come out publicly. You know, when you’re living as an out transgender person it’s..kind of difficult to hide. I just wanted – needed some time to get my head right, to feel comfortable. But apparently I don’t get to decide this.”
“So yeah, I’m transgender. And yeah, I’ve transitioned,” she added.
Lilly clarified that she has come out to her wife (Alisa Blasingame, whom she has been married to since 1991), friends, family, and most people at work, thanking them for their love and support.
But she also noted, “Being transgender is not easy. We live in a majority-enforced gender binary world. This means when you’re transgender you have to face the hard reality of living the rest of your life in a world that is openly hostile to you.”
We say, we’re right behind you, Lilly! You go 🙂
Sources: Windy City Times, The Wachowskis, USA Today.
