Laverne Cox Says DEI Crackdown Wiped Out 90% of Her Income
Updated
Updated · Variety · Jun 15
Laverne Cox Says DEI Crackdown Wiped Out 90% of Her Income
3 articles · Updated · Variety · Jun 15
Summary
Cox said she has lost 90% of her income over the past few years, with corporate speaking bookings and teaching work drying up as anti-DEI and anti-trans policies spread.
The actor told The Guardian that Trump administration threats to defund colleges and universities tied to “gender ideology” made even a graduate acting class vulnerable to scrutiny.
Cox said the fallout goes beyond her own finances, arguing that if her earnings fell so sharply, less privileged trans people face even harsher material consequences.
The income slide coincided with other career changes: Cox left E!’s “Live From the Red Carpet” in January 2025 after a three-year run, though she recently appeared in Apple’s “Outcome.”