It wasn't until she found out her character would be returning for the second season of Transparent that Trace Lysette was able to quit her job at Scores, the infamous New York City strip club made newly famous in the movie Hustlers. Lysette was working at Scores and other clubs, taking acting classes, and booking small roles on shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She was only open to a few people about being trans because, as she says, that's just what you were told to do at that time. 

"If you can pass, girl, just live your life. That's what we were taught to survive. And so it wasn't until the trans movement became a national conversation that I felt like I was doing a disservice to my community by not saying anything." 

The national conversation around trans people changed in part because of shows like Transparent and characters like Trace Lysette's Shea. Trace Lysette talks on this week's episode about working at Scores, the financial realities of a being an actress, and why she's still figuring out her place in Hollywood. 

LGBTQ&A is hosted and produced by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1