I’ve always been a fan of Laverne Cox and I’ve always rooted for her and supported her work. It’s amazing to see a prominent Black trans woman win awards and get high-profile gigs. But Laverne is having a terrible week and I understand why some of her fans are un-stanning. First off, Laverne said some ignorant sh-t about Kamala Harris and her 2024 campaign. Then, seeing the backlash online, Laverne hopped onto her IG Live to talk about her years-long relationship with a Trump-supporting white COP. Girl, what are you doing???
Laverne Cox sparked much conversation on Instagram this week after revealing a chapter from her dating history that many did not expect. In a clip posted Monday night (July 21), the Orange Is the New Black star and longtime activist shared that she was once in a serious, years-long relationship with a “blonde-haired, blue-eyed, MAGA Republican voter” who also happened to be a New York City police officer.
Promoting her upcoming one-woman show Gurrl, How Did I Get Here? set for July 28 at NYC’s City Winery, Cox opened up about the former relationship, calling it a love story that shocked even her. “We were madly in love,” she said. “I did not develop any of his politics, I still have my own.”
The clip quickly went viral and comments poured in, with many expressing confusion and concern over how the openly trans, pro-Black, progressive actress could fall for someone on the ideological opposite side of the spectrum. Cox returned to Instagram later that night to elaborate in a live video, clarifying that she didn’t know her partner’s political views or profession when they matched on Tinder. “We were just chatting,” she said. “He told me he did something else.”
By the time she found out the truth, they were already deeply involved. Cox said she decided to try to build a relationship based on shared humanity, not politics. “I wanted to see if it was possible to have a relationship with someone with different political beliefs, in theory,” she explained. “I fell in love with a human being who had different politics, and the good things about that relationship were so good that I was willing to work with the politics I didn’t agree with.”
The four-year relationship, which she previously described as “healing,” ended when it became clear that their values were ultimately unaligned. “Lines had to be drawn,” she said. “I had to set boundaries.”
Cox also addressed the backlash that immediately followed her reveal, pushing back against those who accused her of aligning with fascist ideology or MAGA politics. “I’m not going to hate people. I don’t believe in that,” she said. “We have to fight the fascists, and we have to fight the fascist regime. But as we do that, I hope that we’re not dehumanizing people with different beliefs the way they’re dehumanizing us.”
She also cited Audre Lorde’s famous quote: “The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house” as a reminder of how easy it is to become what we’re fighting against. “That’s what I was seeing in the comments,” Cox noted. “And I would invite us to critically interrogate that. People are still human beings.”
I love Audre Lorde but I’ve always hated that quote. It never made sense because… the master’s tools will usually dismantle the master’s house, you know? Literally, at a technical level. It also feels like another version of respectability politics, that Democrats/liberals/left-wingers can’t ever operate in the juvenile, dirty, ratf–king, tit-for-tat way which Republicans operate, that we have to be the ones with grace, dignity, humanity. F–k that. I absolutely judge Laverne for dating a MAGA Republican cop for years. She dated someone who actively dehumanized marginalized communities, the same communities Laverne is part of.
Same day Laverne Cox mouths off about Kamala Harris's campaign, she decided it would be cute to post a video bragging about having had a 22-years-younger, white, blond, blue-eyed, MAGA NY cop as her boyfriend recently. Like — trans rights are at risk, BUT? pic.twitter.com/owfhagK4lF
— Matthew Rettenmund (@mattrett) July 21, 2025
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Laverne Cox wearing Betsey Johnson during the Accessory Council presents the 2025 ACE Awards, held at The Pierre Hotel in New York, Tuesday, May 6, 2025 Jennifer Graylock-Graylock.com,Image: 995875377, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Jennifer Graylock-Graylock.comJennifer Graylock-Graylock.com/Avalon
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- Laverne Cox wearing Betsey Johnson during the Accessory Council presents the 2025 ACE Awards, held at The Pierre Hotel in New York, Tuesday, May 6, 2025 Jennifer Graylock-Graylock.com,Image: 995876825, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Jennifer Graylock-Graylock.comJennifer Graylock-Graylock.com/Avalon
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- Laverne Cox wearing Betsey Johnson during the Accessory Council presents the 2025 ACE Awards, held at The Pierre Hotel in New York, Tuesday, May 6, 2025 Jennifer Graylock-Graylock.com,Image: 995876843, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Jennifer Graylock-Graylock.comJennifer Graylock-Graylock.com/Avalon
He is not like the rest, he has a good heart, she knew she could change him, he was going to change for love…blah blah blah. How disappointing!
I am disgusted and will NEVA sully my eyes with her work again in this life OR the next😡
Let’s be real, she was never much of an actress anyway.
I’m sorry, but MAGA cop dating a trans woman? Make this make sense.
Fetish. That’s the only thing I can think because make it make sense. A movement known for their homophobia/transphobia & racism dating outside their race and sexual identity. Make it make sense!
MAGA supporters get abortions, MAGA supporters are gay, etc etc. They are hypocrites thru and thru.
This makes me so sad. Girl he lied to you about his job and this happened after you were already famous. Loneliness is a powerful tool for self delusion. She’s black and trans and a public figure and I’d bet fucking money this douche bag has some horrible intersecting fetishes.
“He told me he did something else.”
And that wasn’t your first clue? He’s lying right outta the gate? Why? He will vote MAGA but won’t admit — upfront — that he’s MAGA? C’mon now. This is some real BS. And it took four YEARS to “draw a boundary.” Nothing changed in those four years. He was always a fascist.
Oh, and this? “We have to fight the fascists, and we have to fight the fascist regime. But …” BUT WHAT? How do you fight the fascists but also date them and sleep with them? WTF you talking about?!!!
As a Black single woman around Lavern’s age, I get wanting a partner, feeling desire, and dealing with loneliness. What stands out to me is how proud she seemed of the relationship. He’s beliefs go against her very identity. It’s just so weird, tone deaf and pathetic.
As for her bullshit about MVP Harris — her campaign ABSOLUTELY talked about the working class, student loans, job creation and education throughout her campaign.
I think Laverne is one of those people who forgets the struggle after they become well off or wealthy. Now this foolishness is attached to her legacy.
Re: VP Harris a lot of people like her don’t do the research and instead listen to these hoteps who spew the same tired talking points. Meanwhile she had a whole website that laid out her plans. There is a lot of anti blackness and internalized misogynoir in the black community so none of this is surprising.
I’m also not surprised by these DL men who fetishize the trans community. He’s probably like so many men who laugh at and make transphobic jokes to hide their attraction.
Maybe she didn’t know about Harris’s platform, because she was holed up with a MAGA cop.
I can’t relate to people who don’t have their political beliefs spelled out in their online dating profile. IIRC with Tinder, there’s not a ton of room to write but I would still disclose my politics up-front in early chats so there’s no ambiguity.
I sympathize with the idea of being open towards folks who have come to regret voting for Trump–some low info voters def got taken for a ride. But I really don’t understand receiving Trump loyalists with kindness and a free pass for supporting a vile man who espouses vile ideology. Trump-supporters deny trans folks their basic humanity–how could she possibly overlook that?
Nope! You can’t do mental gymnastics to make this situation sound like a good idea that you can change or have a relationship with someone so at complete odds with you. He lied about who he was and when she found out the truth that should have been the end.
Oh, idk. I recently read The Pedagogy of the Oppressed…the oppressed can’t liberate themselves when they’re co-opted into using the tactics of the oppressed…that said, I’m definitely team burn-it-all-down.
I also have different views than my boyfriend. But we share a respect for basic human and civil rights. Like there has to be a shared baseline in terms of values.
Yeah, she’s wrong for this and her criticism of Kamala. She needs to a lot of soul searching.
He lied about what he did for a living, and by the time she found out she was in love. How does it not kill your feelings when you find out they lied about something so basic?
“…Democrats/liberals/left-wingers can’t ever operate in the juvenile, dirty, ratf–king, tit-for-tat way which Republicans operate, that we have to be the ones with grace, dignity, humanity. F–k that.”
Instead, these people backstabbing their fellow Demorats and disrespecting the Party’s loyal base: black community, especially black women. Their “going low” are served to people they don’t like in their own Party.
A couple can have different taste in food, art, fashions, movies, etc. and different hobbies, however, when she/he is into White Supermacy, condones hurting POC, minority & marginalized people, stripping women’s autonomy, that’s just a big NO for me. I don’t care how beautiful/handsome she/he is or how great your s3x life is, continuing being with that person…? No, it would never be me.
It can be challenging to disinvest yourself of male privilege even after you transition. See Kaitlyn Jenner.
I’m done with her. If she’s choosing people who supporting her, I’m not supporting her.