My pronouns are she, her, and hers. I identify as female, specifically as a transgender female. And my name is Josie Totah.
Josie Totah
I want to tell everyone that no matter what's keeping them from being their authentic self to hold on to the hope that there will be an end to that road. There will be a life where they can live their true self.
You can do whatever you wanna do. If you're a girl - girl, you get on the football team, okay? If you identify as a boy, you put on some makeup, and you work that stage!
At age 15, I sold a television series to NBC.
I definitely stuck out like a sore thumb. I came to the conclusion - I had to at such a young age - if no one was going to be like me, then I just have to own it. If I can't be like everyone else, then I might as well just own who I am.
Not only was I really, really depressed when I was not out to the world, but I just finished my NBC series, and I didn't think it was right to come out during that when I was playing a male character.
I was obsessed with carrara marble. I had a carrara marble phone case.
I could wake up at any time of the day and be ready to party.
I have never worn a sweater vest a day in my life. Nor will I ever wear a sweater vest.
'Black Mirror' is definitely my favorite show.
I am an avid SoulCycler, so I feel like I get some credit for that. I just don't like the idea of people looking at each other while they sweat.
I think, almost, the film industry thinks that by making gay characters super masculine, it's an attempt at saying being gay is OK if you act like straight people. I don't think we should just have gay characters who are 100 percent femme, either. I just think it's about that mix and creating more diverse gay characters.
I can only imagine how much more fun it's going to be to play someone who shares my identity rather than having to contort myself to play a boy. I'm going to gun for those roles, be it a transgender female or a cisgender female.
I've always liked musical theater, and getting to do stuff like that where I can just dance around and just be crazy is just super fun.
All of the children need to know, all of the little kiddies and fetuses out there. Even if they're not out of the womb yet, they need to know that it's okay to be whoever the heck you are.
I want to continue to use my platform to tell my story to let young people that are struggling with their sexuality or identity know they are not alone, and it will get better.
I saw my sister in this production of 'Whistle Down the Wind' - my sister was a really big theater kid - and when I saw her do that, I was so obsessed. Those were like my first words; I was singing along to the songs. From that point on, I did theater, and then I got into acting in film and television.
Jane Lynch is the nicest person I've ever worked with.
If you see someone being hurt, if you see someone being harmed, and if you see someone that's not in a safe position, you need to definitely say something.
I know what the audience is looking for and have the ability to deliver that content.
Pretty much my dreams came true when I did a duet with Lea Michele.
When I was on 'The View,' I went backstage to Whoopi Goldberg's dressing room, and she told me, 'People are going to love what you do, and people are going to hate what you do, but you have to keep doing it. You have to stand up and do what you know is true, despite what people are going to say.' And I'm taking that into every aspect of my life.
I got to record at Capital Records, which was especially awesome. You see all those big singers like Ariana Grande, Beyonce: they're all recording at Capital. It was really cool to be there every single day and just hang out.
On the playground, I was the type of kid who wanted to sing with the girls, not play soccer with the boys.
I go to a small Catholic school where we have mass every week and say a prayer every morning, but we also are in Los Angeles, where people are so progressive and open.
When I was five, long before I understood what the word 'gender' meant, I would always tell my mother that I wished I were a girl.
I definitely pride myself on suffering through a real high school. A lot of my friends are homeschooled, and I love them for it, but I really wanted that high school experience.
Getting to play a role that hasn't been played is such an honor.
I feel like we need to create more roles that give LGBTQ people the opportunity to be on screen.
I get reached out to by a lot of people who just thank me for representing them and their friends. Just showing people like them on TV. It's just really awesome to hear from them.
As long as you've got pride, you're good.
I feel like I'm absolutely insane, and I don't think I could probably do anything else. I just love entertaining, and I feel like pretending to be people... and having that as a job is crazy.
I'm happy to be a part of this new generation where people don't care where you come from, what your orientation is, or what your identity is. They just accept you for you.
There are funny gay people, and there are funny Indian people, and that's why we watch TV, to laugh. It only makes sense to include all types of funny people, whether or not they're gay or straight or what have you.
I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to go in front of someone and twerk on them.
I am a big fan of musical theater.
I like to think of myself as a confidently outgoing person.
I love talking to people and entertaining people.
I love a good pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt on my day-to-day.
If I were to have seen more people that looked like me - because I'm Palestinian and Lebanese - and talked like me and acted like me, I probably would have had a lot more hope knowing that I wasn't alone. I really hope that this show, 'Champions,' gives that to people.
Not everybody comes out when they're in their twenties, you know?
I am very aware of the boring life of Sacramento.
It helps me as an actor to always be on top of my stuff.
My sister, brother, and I are 180 degrees different. Having a conversation with them, you have to tread lightly.
This is going to sound bad, but it's not hard to be super mean. It's actually really fun to play a mean boy.
My family is so loving and so encouraging. Ever since I was little, it was implanted in my head - and my sister's and my brother's - that we could do anything our heart desired to do, and to not be afraid.
My entire family, we were obsessed with 'Glee,' so when I got an audition, I was freaking out. But I knew exactly what to do, I had watched the show so many times.
All that young people have to look up to are older role models, and I think it's important to have people like myself show that it's OK to be who you are when you're young.
When my friends and family call me Josie, it feels like I'm being seen. It's something everyone wants, to feel understood.
I believe that I am transgender to help people understand differences. It allows me to gain perspective, to be more accepting of others, because I know what it feels like to know you're not like everyone else.
