"The Matrix" Director Comes Out

Is 2012 the "coming-out" year for transgender celebrities?

First we had Chaz (ne Chastity) Bono, the child of Sonny and Cher.  A few months later, Against Me! lead singer Tom Gabel became Laura Jane Grace.  In the meantime, Warren Beatty and Annette Benning's eldest child Kathleen came to be known as Steven Ira.

Now Larry Wachowski--the Director of The Matrix--now goes by the name Lana.  She came out in a promotional video, in which she appears with Tom Hanks, for Cloud Atlas, her next film.

Against Me! Singer Tom Gabel Speaking For Us

These days, I don't look at Rolling Stone very often. But I might check out the upcoming issue.  In it, Against Me! singer Tom Gabel will reveal plans to start living as a woman.

She said she will take the name Laura Jane Grace and remain married to her wife Heather.  She says, understandably, that the "most terrifying part" was wondering how Heather would accept the news.  "But she's been super-amazing and understanding," Laura relates.

As far as I know, no other rock star has come out as transgendered.  She is making a point of speaking openly about her identity and transition. "I'm going to have embarrassing moments," she says, "and that won't be fun."  But, she says, as she speaks out, "I'm hoping people will understand  and hoping they'll be fairly kind."