"Born in 1962, Alexandra Billings grew up in a decade in which being herself was illegal. When she started transitioning in 1980, the word “Transgender” was not commonly used. With no Trans role models and no path to follow, Alexandra did what her family, teachers, and even friends said was impossible: Alexandra forged ahead.
Spanning five decades, from profound lows to exhilarating highs, This Time for Me captures the events of a pioneering life. An award-winning actor and history-making LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS activist, Alexandra shares not only her own ever-evolving story but also the parallel ways in which queer identity has dramatically changed since the Stonewall riots of 1969. She weaves a true coming-of-age story of richly imaginative lies, of friends being swept away by a plague that decimated the community, of her determination to establish a career that would break boundaries, and of the recognition of her own power. A celebration of endless possibilities, Alexandra’s bracing memoir is a fight-to-the-death revolution against all expectations."
In 2014, I interviewed Alexandra and asked her about the hardest thing about her coming out: "Well… telling my mother. When I was 16 I told her I was gay. When I was 22, I told her I was Transgender. When I was 30, I told her I had AIDS. And then, I was 36, I told her I was marrying a woman. By then, any time I said: “Mom! Guess what?” She’d say: “Please. I don’t need any more surprises from YOU!” She became one of the greatest friends I ever had, right up until the end of her life."And my additional question was about whether it was harder to be a transgender lady in the 80s compared to what transgender women can do these days: "I don’t know if it was harder or not, but it certainly was different. I think it’s always difficult to go through any kind of transition. And you know…. we all do it. We all transition in one way or another. We become who we were always meant to be. We start off one way and end up something else. That’s always difficult. I don’t particularly like change. There’s that irony again. But change isn’t something that comes easily for me. I like things to stay the same. I drive the same way to work. I walk the same path to the ocean. I eat dinner at the same time. I like things to have structure And then…. there’s this other part of me that thrives on danger and the unknown. I’m curious by nature so I love to peek behind curtains."
Alexandra Billings has not only made a name for herself as an actress but has also been a prominent advocate for transgender rights. She has been open about her experiences as a transgender woman and has used her platform to raise awareness about issues facing the transgender community. Billings has been an influential figure in promoting understanding, acceptance, and equality for transgender individuals in the entertainment industry and society at large.
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Photo via Heroines of My Life.
and “Never Have I Ever" an American comedy-drama television series starring Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher.
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