Jacob Tobia

Last updated
Jacob Tobia
Born
Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.
Citizenship American
Education Raleigh Charter High School
Alma mater Duke University
Occupation(s)Writer, activist, producer
Known forLGBTQ rights advocacy
Website jacobtobia.com

Jacob Tobia is an American LGBT rights activist, writer, producer, television host, and actor. In 2019, they published their memoir titled Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story . They are also the voice of Double Trouble in DreamWorks' animated series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power . [1] Tobia has been recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30 and Out100. [2] [3]

Contents

Early life and education

Tobia's grandparents were Syrians who immigrated to the United States in the 1950s and spoke Arabic, which Tobia says is "the language that I do not speak but wish I could." [4] [5] Tobia was raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, by a Methodist family. They graduated in 2010 from Raleigh Charter High School, serving as president of the Gay-Straight Alliance and being active in student government. [6] [7] Tobia applied to Harvard University and was accepted, but chose to attend Duke University instead, where they graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Human Rights Advocacy. [8] [9] While a student at Duke, Tobia served as the vice president of equity and outreach for Duke Student Government, was co-president of Blue Devils United, and was president of Duke Students for Gender Neutrality. [10]

Career and activism

Tobia is a Point Foundation Scholar, [8] Harry S. Truman Scholar, [11] and a recipient of the Campus Pride National Voice and Action Award. Their writing has been featured on MSNBC, MTV, The Huffington Post , The Washington Post , The New York Times , The Guardian , BuzzFeed , Jezebel, and other media outlets. They've also served on conference panels and spoken at Harvard University, Princeton University, Columbia University, and various LGBTQ conferences across the United States. They worked for the United Nations Foundation, the Human Rights Campaign, and the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice before starting a career in television. [12] [ non-primary source needed ]

In September 2013, Tobia raised over $10,000 for the Ali Forney Center running across the Brooklyn Bridge in five-inch heels as part of their Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) commitment to action. They were recently honored again for their larger impact on the LGBTQIA+ community by CGI U in 2018 at the University of Chicago. [6]

Tobia was featured in MTV's The T Word, where they were interviewed by Laverne Cox. In 2015, Tobia was profiled in the GLAAD Award-nominated episode of True Life: I'm Genderqueer by MTV. [13] In 2016 they were named in Out's 100. [14] Later in 2016, Tobia created, co-produced, and hosted Queer 2.0, an original LGBTQ series for NBC News. [15]

Jacob book reading, Raleigh, North Carolina, March 2019 JacobTobia2k19.jpg
Jacob book reading, Raleigh, North Carolina, March 2019

In 2017, Tobia moved from New York to Los Angeles to begin working on Season 4 of Joey Soloway's series Transparent . [16] Tobia also provided the voice of Double Trouble in season 4 of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. [17]

In 2018, Tobia became the face of an advertising campaign for the gender non-conforming makeup brand Fluide, promoting a line of lip colors named after queer spaces, such as gay bars. [18]

Sissy

In June 2017, Tobia announced the release of a memoir titled Sissy. [19] The book sold in a six-figure deal to Putnam Books. [2] Sissy was released in March 2019 and was a National Bestseller. [20] Tobia was featured as a guest on Trevor Noah's The Daily Show to promote the book. They discussed the term "gender chill," gendered violence, and the playful nature of non-binary genders. [21] Sissy was well-received by The New York Times Book Review, which compared Tobia to David Sedaris and Mindy Kaling. [22] They wrote, "[Tobia] combines incisive wit and undeniable intelligence to invite readers into their journey as a gender-nonconforming young person in North Carolina...If Tobia aspires to the ranks of comic memoirists like David Sedaris and Mindy Kaling, Sissy succeeds."

In November 2019, Showtime announced they are developing a half-hour show based on Tobia's memoir Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story. Tobia will serve as co-writer and co-executive producer for the adaptation alongside Michael Lannan, the co-creator of the HBO series, Looking . [23] The series will follow the life of Tobi Gibran, a non-binary student who moves from North Carolina to New York City. [24]

Personal life

Tobia identifies as genderqueer and uses singular they pronouns. [25]

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Non-binary gender</span> Gender identities other than male or female

Non-binary and genderqueer are umbrella terms for gender identities that are not solely male or female. Non-binary identities often fall under the transgender umbrella since non-binary people typically identify with a gender that is different from the sex assigned to them at birth, though some non-binary people do not consider themselves transgender.

The gender binary is the classification of gender into two distinct forms of masculine and feminine, whether by social system, cultural belief, or both simultaneously. Most cultures use a gender binary, having two genders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transgender rights movement</span>

The transgender rights movement is a movement to promote the legal status of transgender people and to eliminate discrimination and violence against transgender people regarding housing, employment, public accommodations, education, and health care. A major goal of transgender activism is to allow changes to identification documents to conform with a person's current gender identity without the need for gender-affirming surgery or any medical requirements, which is known as gender self-identification. It is part of the broader LGBT rights movements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katastrophe (rapper)</span> American rapper

Rocco Kayiatos, known professionally as Katastrophe and in some later releases as Rocco Katastrophe, is an American rapper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jiz Lee</span> American pornographic performer

Jiz Lee is an American pornographic performer, considered a major star of queer porn. Lee is an advocate for the ethical production and consumption of pornography and for the labor rights and sexual autonomy of adult entertainment performers.

Flea, known as Mayonnai in Japanese, is a fictional character in the Chrono series of video games. He is a shapeshifter that presents as feminine but identifies as a man and, in Japanese, uses feminine signifiers in his speech. He first appears in Chrono Trigger, where he serves as a subordinate to the antagonist Magus and cameos in the sequel, Chrono Cross. Flea has been recognized as a noteworthy LGBT character, particularly for non-binary and genderqueer people. Critics like writer Flynn Demarco and author William Gibbons felt disappointed by the use of stereotypes of transgender people and androgyny to represent villainy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eli Erlick</span> American activist and writer (born 1995)

Eli Erlick is an American activist, writer, academic, trans woman and founder of the organization Trans Student Educational Resources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trans Student Educational Resources</span> Advocacy organization in the US

Trans Student Educational Resources (TSER) is a United States-based organization advocating for greater recognition of transgender youth in educational institutions. The organization was founded in 2011 by teen activists Eli Erlick and Alex Sennello and is currently the only national organization led by transgender youth.

Kat Blaque is an American YouTuber and LGBT rights activist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey Marsh</span> American social media personality

Jeffrey Earl Marsh is an American social media personality, best known for making viral videos on Vine, Instagram, and TikTok. Marsh identifies as non-binary and addresses a variety of topics through their content, including LGBTQ issues, mental health and personal development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queer fashion</span> Style convention

Queer fashion is fashion among queer and nonbinary people that goes beyond common style conventions that usually associate certain colors and shapes with one of the two binary genders. Queer fashion aims to be perceived by consumers as a fashion style that focuses on experimenting garments based on people's different body shapes instead of following the restrictions given by gendered clothing categorization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ari Fitz</span> Model and vlogger

Arrows Fitz, commonly known as Ari Fitz, is a model, vlogger, television personality, and film producer. He is best known for his YouTube channel Tomboyish, in which he explores topics related to being an androgynous person who presents as both masculine and feminine.

<i>Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story</i> 2019 memoir by Jacob Tobia

Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story is a 2019 memoir written by Jacob Tobia.

Fluide, also known as We Are Fluide, is an American online cosmetics and beauty company headquartered in Brooklyn, New York. The company offers a collection of cruelty-free makeup that they state is aimed at all gender expressions, gender identities, and skin tones.

Tony Zosherafatain is an American director, producer, and writer from Boston, Massachusetts. He is a trans man and has directed and produced award-winning films about trans identity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maia Kobabe</span> American cartoonist

Maia Kobabe is an American cartoonist and author.

Non-binary or genderqueer is a spectrum of gender identities that are not exclusively masculine or feminine‍—‌identities that are outside the gender binary. Non-binary identities can fall under the transgender umbrella, since many non-binary people identify with a gender that is different from their assigned sex. Another term for non-binary is enby. This page examines non-binary characters in fictional works as a whole, focusing on characters and tropes in cinema and fantasy.

References

  1. ↑ "Jacob Tobia | HuffPost". The Huffington Post . Retrieved 2019-08-22.
  2. 1 2 "Jacob Tobia". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  3. ↑ "Jacob Tobia: 'Gender Is Simple for Nobody'". PAPER. 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  4. ↑ Tobia, Jacob (June 14, 2017). "Remember The Forces That Marginalize Queers Also Marginalize Muslims". The Huffington Post. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  5. ↑ Martin, Michel (June 18, 2016). "Barbershop: Taking Stock Of Orlando With Members Of The LGBTQ Community". NPR . Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  6. 1 2 Lee, Traci G. (December 18, 2012). "Supporting an LGBT youth center with high hopes–and high heels". MSNBC . Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Chartering Our Course" (PDF). Raleigh Charter High School . November 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 25, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  8. 1 2 "Jacob Tobia". Point Foundation . 19 October 2015. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  9. ↑ Tobia, Jacob (2019). Sissy. G.P. Putnam’s Sons. p. 170.
  10. 1 2 Tobia, Jacob (July 18, 2014). "Where I Belong | Duke Magazine". Duke Magazine. Duke University. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  11. ↑ Duke Today Staff (April 10, 2013). "Two Duke Students Selected As Truman Scholars". Duke University. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Jacob Tobia". 2017-02-24. Archived from the original on 2017-02-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  13. ↑ Rothkopf, Joanna (November 17, 2015). "A Conversation with Genderqueer Activist and Latest MTV True Life Subject Jacob Tobia". Jezebel . Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Out100 2016". OUT Magazine . 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Welcome to Queer 2.0!". NBC News . June 3, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  16. ↑ Talusan, Meredith (June 22, 2017). "Why Can't My Famous Gender Nonconforming Friends Get Laid?". Vice . Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  17. ↑ "She-Ra welcomes its first non-binary character — get a first look at Jacob Tobia as Double Trouble". Entertainment Weekly . October 21, 2019.
  18. ↑ Barbour, Shannon (March 7, 2018). "Gender-Nonconforming Activist Jacob Tobia Lands Gorgeous New Beauty Campaign". Cosmopolitan . Retrieved November 17, 2019.
  19. ↑ Biedenharn, Isabella (June 23, 2017). "Gender nonconforming writer Jacob Tobia announces memoir, Sissy". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Sissy by Jacob Tobia: 9780735218840 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  21. ↑ Jacob Tobia - Promoting a "Gender-Chill" Exploration of Identity with "Sissy" | The Daily Show , retrieved 2019-11-17
  22. ↑ McBride, Sarah (2019-05-23). "Two L.G.B.T.Q. Memoirs Sow the Seeds of Progress (Published 2019)". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  23. ↑ "Showtime to develop series based on Jacob Tobia memoir 'Sissy'". NBC News. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  24. ↑ Edwards, Sarah (2019-11-26). "Jacob Tobia's Memoir "Sissy" to Be Adapted by Showtime". INDY Week. Retrieved 2019-12-24.[ permanent dead link ]
  25. 1 2 Tobia, Jacob (November 16, 2015). "I'm Genderqueer — Please Stop Asking Me When I'm 'Really' Going To Transition". MTV. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  26. ↑ "Transgender Lives: Your Stories - Jacob Tobia". The New York Times . Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  27. ↑ Jacob Tobia. "I am neither Mr, Mrs or Ms but Mx | Jacob Tobia | Opinion". The Guardian . Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  28. ↑ Tobia, Jacob (2016-05-12). "Gender Neutral Pronouns: How to Use the Right Pronouns - Motto". Motto.time.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2016. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  29. ↑ Tobia, Jacob (2016-04-01). "An Open Letter to North Carolina's Lawmakers from a Trans North Carolinian | Women's Health". Womenshealthmag.com. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  30. ↑ "What Happens If You're A Trans Person Who Doesn't Feel "Trapped In The Wrong Body"". Buzzfeed.com. 2016-05-14. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  31. ↑ "I Have Long Nails Because I'm Proud Of What They Mean". Buzzfeed.com. 2015-02-27. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  32. ↑ "The 1970s Feminist Who Warned Against Leaning In - BuzzFeed News". Buzzfeed.com. 2015-02-27. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  33. ↑ Tobia, Jacob (2016-04-07). "An Affront against All Women". Newamerica.org. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  34. ↑ "Trans Fashion is Not (Necessarily) Trans Empowerment — Hooligan Mag". Hooliganmagazine.com. 2016-04-15. Archived from the original on 2017-02-24. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  35. ↑ Williams, Casey (2014-01-25). "How Student Activists at Duke Transformed a $6 Billion Endowment". The Nation . Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  36. ↑ "LGBTQIA: A Beginner's Guide to the Great Alphabet Soup Of Queer Identity". Mic. 2013-03-02. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  37. ↑ "To All the Married Gay Couples Out There: The Fight Doesn't End With DOMA's Ruling". Mic. 2013-06-27. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  38. ↑ "Obama Morehouse Speech: Was the President Unintentionally Transphobic?". Mic. 2013-05-24. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  39. ↑ "The Power of Trans Vulnerability". The Huffington Post. 2016-05-05. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  40. ↑ "Five Dos and Five Don'ts for College Seniors (From a Point Scholar Who's Been There)". The Huffington Post. 2016-02-02. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  41. ↑ "Dear Mr. President: Students Ask Obama to Protect LGBT Employees". The Huffington Post. 13 June 2012. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  42. ↑ "Why You Should Be Optimistic After Amendment One: A North Carolinian's Perspective". The Huffington Post. 29 May 2012. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  43. ↑ "Why I'm Genderqueer, Professional and Unafraid". The Huffington Post . 2016-02-02. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  44. ↑ "The Orlando Shooting Was An Act Of Hate". MTV. 2016-06-16. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  45. ↑ "How To Talk To Your Parents About Being Genderqueer". MTV. 2015-11-23. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  46. ↑ "Sissy Diaries: The Harsh Realities of Dating for Gender-Nonconforming Femmes". Them. April 25, 2018.
  47. ↑ "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah". YouTube. Retrieved 2019-11-17.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.