Qween Jean makes trans history at the 2026 Tony Awards

This story originally appeared on Out.Qween Jean made history at the 2026 Tony Awards as the first openly transgender person to win a Tony Award, taking home Best Costume Design of a Musical for her work on Cats: The Jellicle Ball. The political activist and designer was also nominated in the Best Costume Design of a Play category for Liberation. She took home her award before the night's festivities and delivered an impassioned speech on stage. "This experience has been monumental. We are here for the legacy of queer people, trans people," she said. "We are taking up space in ways we have to take up space. We have to shift the paradigm. So I just want to say, thank you all so much for this incredible honor. The world right now is deeply, deeply combating so many ailments, and we know as a society that when we come together, we can make real, permanent change.""Pride is a protest. In this moment, we are seeing all across the city people, queer people, young folks, parents are being detained," Jean, who is also one of the founders of the Black Trans Liberation collective, said while on stage. "They are being at the Newark Delaney Facility, it not only needs to be shut down, but there needs to be serious investigation. The police cannot investigate the police. It doesn't make sense that billions are being poured into an institution of destruction when resources can be used to help people, can get them a lawyer, the human rights care they deserve."She ended her speech saying. "As a queer person, a leader, a mother, I will never stand quiet. If any woman is in pain, even if her shackles are different from mine, let's get unshackled."In addition to Jean, Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons won the Tonys for Best Choreography for Cats: The Jellicle Ball.