From Past to Present: Transgender Icons That Have Shaped History

3. Holly Woodlawn

Holly Woodlawn was born Haraldo Santiago Franceschi Rodriguez on October 26, 1946, and hailed from Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico. Her chosen name was a combination of Audrey Hepburn’s character “Holly” from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and an episode of “I Love Lucy.” Just by that alone, it’s clear that Woodlawn was enamored by the entertainment world.

At just the young age of 16, Holly journeyed to the Big Apple in the hopes of being an actress. Her memory “A Low Life in High Heels” gives the account of her survival on the street as a high school dropout. Woodlawn landed some film roles, including “Scarecrow in a Garden of Cucumbers,” “Women in Revolt,” and “Alibi. ” She also founded the Holly Woodlawn Memorial Fund for Transgender Youth.