Yasmin Finney is cutting through the negative noise

Although she’s only just entering her twenties, the actor already has plenty to be proud of, having graced the covers of British Vogue and GQ, helped create a safe space for millions of queer people with her hit Netflix show Heartstopper and made history as the first major trans character to appear in Doctor Who. For the latter show, the stalwart writer and showrunner Russell T Davies (Queer as Folk, It’s a Sin, Cucumber) recently returned to the helm after a 14-year absence, and it was expected that stage and gave a much re-shared speech to eager spectators. In it, she emotionally told the crowd: “Trans people are not your enemy. We’re your family members. We’re your friends. We’re your loved ones. And we have always existed. My identity is not a political playground.” Her choice of words that day was just one of the many ways in which she is using her platform to push for trans visibility, and something that she does daily both on and off the screen. “It’s good to just be real with people because it’s not easy and it’s hard to be yourself and be knocked down and be around people that limit your talent and your growth. There is a sense of pride that comes with the reach that I have. From a young age I’ve always felt like I’d been put on this Earth to make a difference.”