She’s arrived! Lilly Wachowski made her first public appearance since coming out as a transgender woman on Saturday, April 2. The Matrix filmmaker, previously known as Andy Wachowski, attended the GLAAD Media Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.
As previously reported, Wachowski, 48, announced last month that she had transitioned. Her older sister and directing partner, Lana Wachowski, transitioned and changed her name from Larry in 2008.
“I am one of the lucky ones,” Lilly said in a statement to the Windy City News at the time. “Having the support of my family and the means to afford doctors and therapists has given me the chance to actually survive this process. Transgender people without support, means and privilege do not have this luxury. And many do not survive.”
Lilly was just as inspiring on Saturday night. A source tells Us Weekly that she received a massive round of applause and gave a moving speech about the importance of love for the LGBT community. “OK, first of all, ta-da,” she said on stage. “Love is a crucial thing for transgender people. It’s a tether.”
Lilly also gushed over her wife, Alisa Blasingame. The filmmaker leaned on Blasingame for support after reporters allegedly found out about the transition before she had announced it. “My sister likes to joke, ‘You couldn’t write this s–t’,” Lilly recalled.
She added: “[Thanks to] my wife who put her arms around me when it was all over.”
Other stars in attendance at the GLAAD Media Awards included Caitlyn Jenner, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Taylor Swift, Queen Latifah, Derek Hough, Patricia Arquette and Ruby Rose.
Watch Wachowski on the red carpet in the video above.
