‘Pose’ Star Indya Moore Says She No Longer Identifies as Non-Binary and Now Uses She/Her Pronouns
Photo Credit: FX
by Chris Tremblay 3 hours ago
3 MIN READ
Indya Moore, the actor known for playing Angel Evangelista on FX’s Pose, has said they no longer identify as non-binary and now use she/her pronouns.
Moore shared the announcement in an Instagram Stories post on August 31. The message read: “I no longer identify as nonbinary. My pronouns are she/her. Please be kind to me. I may share more later.”
Moore ended the post with the words “love, solidarity, peace and gratitude.” The statement did not provide a detailed explanation of the change in identity or pronouns.
The announcement was reported by LGBTQ+ publications including PinkNews, Them and DIVA magazine.
DIVA reported that Moore later spoke about their experience during an Instagram Live. In that discussion, Moore described reflecting on their experience as a transgender person through the lens of autoimmune disease.
Moore compared the experience of living in a transgender body, for them, to an autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune cells receive a signal that its own tissue is foreign. “This isn’t because the cells are evil,” Moore said in the account reported by DIVA, “it’s just because the immune cells are receiving a signal that its own tissue is foreign from itself.”
Moore also discussed expectations placed on transgender women, including expectations relating to body hair, nails and makeup. “I wanted to be free from the expectation placed on me because I’m a woman and because I’m trans,” Moore said.
According to DIVA’s account, Moore said they wanted to be comfortable in their body without having to exaggerate their presentation to be respected. Moore also said that identifying as non-binary had previously given them a sense of fluidity.
The reports do not indicate that Moore has rejected transgender identity. Instead, Moore’s public update concerns their identification as non-binary and their requested pronouns, while their subsequent comments continued to describe their experience as a trans person.
Before the latest announcement, Moore had publicly identified as non-binary and had used they/them pronouns. PinkNews reported that Moore discussed this identity during a 2019 interview with L’Officiel Singapore, alongside Pose co-star Michaela Jaé Rodriguez.
In that earlier discussion, Moore described the difficulty of being perceived as a woman while identifying outside the gender binary. PinkNews reported that Moore sometimes allowed people to use she/her pronouns because they worried about being perceived as difficult or believed people were not ready to understand their identity.
The recent statement therefore represents a change from the identity and pronouns Moore had previously made public. Moore’s own request is the clearest available guidance for current coverage: use she/her pronouns and avoid assuming that a person’s earlier identity must remain unchanged.
Moore became widely known through Pose, which followed New York City’s ballroom scene and the lives of predominantly LGBTQ+ characters in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Moore played Angel Evangelista, a transgender woman involved in the show’s ballroom community.
The role made Moore a prominent figure in television representation of transgender people. In 2019, TIME included Moore on its list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Moore has also worked as a model and appeared in films including Ponyboi and Father Mother Sister Brother. DIVA additionally identified Moore’s work in Nimona.
DIVA reported that Moore’s Instagram biography also included the name “Lillah” after the pronoun announcement. Moore has not publicly explained that change in the reports reviewed for this article.
DIVA reported that Moore’s Instagram Live included a message of solidarity toward transgender and non-binary communities. The publication also said that Pose co-star Dominique Jackson responded with heart emojis and that actor Alyssa Milano thanked Moore for “teaching” her.
Moore did not announce a political campaign, organizational initiative or medical treatment in connection with the update. Their public request was limited to explaining that they no longer identify as non-binary, stating that their pronouns are she/her, and asking people to be kind.
Moore also indicated that they might share more later. Until Moore provides further clarification, the available reporting supports describing this as a personal update to their gender identity and pronouns rather than assigning a more specific label or explanation.
Moore ended the post with the words “love, solidarity, peace and gratitude.” The statement did not provide a detailed explanation of the change in identity or pronouns.
The announcement was reported by LGBTQ+ publications including PinkNews, Them and DIVA magazine.
A further discussion of gender and transition
DIVA reported that Moore later spoke about their experience during an Instagram Live. In that discussion, Moore described reflecting on their experience as a transgender person through the lens of autoimmune disease.
Moore compared the experience of living in a transgender body, for them, to an autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune cells receive a signal that its own tissue is foreign. “This isn’t because the cells are evil,” Moore said in the account reported by DIVA, “it’s just because the immune cells are receiving a signal that its own tissue is foreign from itself.”
Moore also discussed expectations placed on transgender women, including expectations relating to body hair, nails and makeup. “I wanted to be free from the expectation placed on me because I’m a woman and because I’m trans,” Moore said.
According to DIVA’s account, Moore said they wanted to be comfortable in their body without having to exaggerate their presentation to be respected. Moore also said that identifying as non-binary had previously given them a sense of fluidity.
The reports do not indicate that Moore has rejected transgender identity. Instead, Moore’s public update concerns their identification as non-binary and their requested pronouns, while their subsequent comments continued to describe their experience as a trans person.
Moore’s earlier public identity
Before the latest announcement, Moore had publicly identified as non-binary and had used they/them pronouns. PinkNews reported that Moore discussed this identity during a 2019 interview with L’Officiel Singapore, alongside Pose co-star Michaela Jaé Rodriguez.
In that earlier discussion, Moore described the difficulty of being perceived as a woman while identifying outside the gender binary. PinkNews reported that Moore sometimes allowed people to use she/her pronouns because they worried about being perceived as difficult or believed people were not ready to understand their identity.
The recent statement therefore represents a change from the identity and pronouns Moore had previously made public. Moore’s own request is the clearest available guidance for current coverage: use she/her pronouns and avoid assuming that a person’s earlier identity must remain unchanged.
The significance of *Pose*
Moore became widely known through Pose, which followed New York City’s ballroom scene and the lives of predominantly LGBTQ+ characters in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Moore played Angel Evangelista, a transgender woman involved in the show’s ballroom community.
The role made Moore a prominent figure in television representation of transgender people. In 2019, TIME included Moore on its list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Moore has also worked as a model and appeared in films including Ponyboi and Father Mother Sister Brother. DIVA additionally identified Moore’s work in Nimona.
Name update and public response
DIVA reported that Moore’s Instagram biography also included the name “Lillah” after the pronoun announcement. Moore has not publicly explained that change in the reports reviewed for this article.
DIVA reported that Moore’s Instagram Live included a message of solidarity toward transgender and non-binary communities. The publication also said that Pose co-star Dominique Jackson responded with heart emojis and that actor Alyssa Milano thanked Moore for “teaching” her.
Moore did not announce a political campaign, organizational initiative or medical treatment in connection with the update. Their public request was limited to explaining that they no longer identify as non-binary, stating that their pronouns are she/her, and asking people to be kind.
Moore also indicated that they might share more later. Until Moore provides further clarification, the available reporting supports describing this as a personal update to their gender identity and pronouns rather than assigning a more specific label or explanation.
Copyright EDGE Media Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
