Tommy Dorfman Opens Up On Her First Movie Role Since Coming Out As Trans, Shows Gratitude To Lena Dunham

"13 Reasons Why" alum Tommy Dorfman in a new interview with People Magazine, admitted to being very grateful to Lena Dunham for giving her a role in her upcoming movie, "Sharp Stick." This was her first role after she transitioned into a woman last year.

She also added that she was proud of Dunham and considered her "a good friend." Before this, Dorfman was Dunham's maid of honor, alongside Taylor Swift.

"What's funny about that is I shot that so early on in my transition that I don't even recognize that person anymore," Dorfman mused. "And yet I love her, and I admire her. And I think she's beautiful. And I'm excited for that movie to come out."

She added, "and I think she's been such an influence for me as a storyteller to have an opportunity to play a small role in a larger story as a trans woman that has nothing to do with her being trans," she explains. "It just happens to be the character."

The movie focuses on a young woman who becomes romantically involved with her boss after a hysterectomy, resulting in a halted sexual development.

"I think the film is a gift," Dorfman explained in the same interview. "And it was great to have a safe space to go to work for the first time. I'm still very conscientious of that, as all trans people are. Because at the end of the day, we don't all have the privilege to stop working and transition until we feel comfortable working again."

She added, "So I was really grateful to continue to work in the evolution of my body and my spirit and my soul and my craft in this way. I'm still very much excited about continuing to do what I do, and do what I love."

Dunham, who wrote, directed, and featured in the movie, admitted to being inspired by her hysterectomy pains.

In March 2018, the actress opened up to Vogue that she went for a complete hysterectomy after

"years of complex surgeries measuring in the double digits" and attempts at pelvic floor therapy, massage therapy, pain therapy, color therapy, acupuncture" failed.

She also mentioned that after her hysterectomy, she's begun to explore other options for having kids.

"I may have felt choiceless before, but I know I have choices now," she says. "Soon I'll start exploring whether my ovaries, which remain someplace inside me in that vast cavern of organs and scar tissue, have eggs. Adoption is a thrilling truth I'll pursue with all my might."

In 2021, the "13 Reasons Why" actress publicly shared that she was trans. In her interview with Time, she mentioned that she had been privately identifying as trans before she came out.

"It's funny to think about coming out because I haven't gone anywhere," she said. "I view today as a reintroduction to me as a woman, having made a transition medically."

She continued, "Coming out is always viewed as this grand reveal, but I was never not out. Today is about clarity: I am a trans woman. My pronouns are she/her. My name is Tommy."

According to her, she came out to remain in control of the narrative.

"I've been living in this other version of coming out where I don't feel safe enough to talk about it, so I just do it," she said. "But I recognize that transitioning is beautiful. Why not let the world see what that looks like?"

She added, "I've learned as a public-facing person that my refusal to clarify can strip me of the freedom to control my own narrative. With this medical transition, there has been discourse about my body, and it began to feel overwhelming."

In the same interview, Dorfman clarified that she won't change her name and would continue to use her birth name in honor of her mother's brother, who died shortly after Dorfman's birth.

"I love my name, I want to keep my name and give new life to my name," she said. "I'm really proud of the person that I was, too. I think that's important to acknowledge. I'm proud of who I've been for the last however many years."

 She also expressed her gratitude to every trans woman who had walked this part before her.

"Thank you to all the trans women who showed me who I am, how to live, celebrate myself, and take up space in this world."

The actress called for empowerment from trans people and specifically cis people for the International Transgender Day Of Visibility.

In her interview with People, she hoped to inspire one cis-person "to read this and take action in their community." 

 "I think it's really important that we can come together, not just on one day, not just on Trans Day of Visibility," she adds. "But as you can see, these pieces of legislation that are targeting trans children primarily right now, and LGBTQ people nationwide, people are fighting to dismiss us, to endanger us, to kill us every single day of the year."