Entertainment: How Josie Totah Became Her True Self and an LGBTQ+ Icon

  Entertainment: How Josie Totah Became Her True Self and an LGBTQ+ Icon 

At just 20 years old, Josie Totah has already navigated a difficult path to affirming her true self.

The actress started her career at age 11 and quickly landed one of her first big breaks appearing on Disney Channel's Jessie. 

At 17 with a string of roles on TV shows like Glee, iCarly, 2 Broke Girls, Champions and more she came out as transgender. 

"It was really difficult because I was being told, ‘You shouldn't go outside with nail polish or with makeup unless you are ready to be fully out,' and I just wanted to be myself," Totah exclusively told Africaflavour. 

"And 12 years old, not being able to do the smallest things that affirm who you are was incredibly difficult and having to feel the burden that the world isn't able to accept me. 

I'm not able to leave the four walls of my house being the person I felt like I was meant to be and that is such a trapping, traumatizing feeling and it makes life so difficult."