Cox becomes the first openly transgender person nominated for a Primetime Emmy in an acting category, for Orange Is the New Black.
On July 10, 2014, the Television Academy announced the nominations for the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards, and Laverne Cox was named a nominee for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Sophia Burset on Netflix's Orange Is the New Black. This nomination made her the first openly transgender performer ever nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in an acting category.
The achievement was historic not only for Cox personally but for transgender representation in the television industry as a whole. Prior to this nomination, transgender actors had rarely been cast in significant roles, let alone recognized by the industry's most prestigious award bodies. Cox's nomination signaled a shift in Hollywood's willingness to embrace authentic transgender storytelling and casting.
GLAAD and other LGBTQ advocacy organizations celebrated the nomination as part of a broader wave of LGBT visibility in that year's Emmy nominations. The recognition validated Cox's nuanced portrayal of a transgender woman navigating incarceration, and it opened doors for future transgender actors to be considered for major industry honors. It remains one of the most cited milestones in the history of transgender representation in American television.