Friday night on “Glee,” football coach Shannon Beiste announced he is transgender.
It was an emotional episode on Friday, when Coach Beiste on “Glee” told principal Sue Sylvester that he is transgender.Â
In explaining how he feels, Beiste says, “This isn’t about who I want to go to bed with, it’s about who I want to go to bed as.”
The Advocate got the scoop and spoke with Dot-Marie Jones, who plays Beiste on the Emmy Award-winning series, about the episode.
In a call with The Advocate, Jones described the filming process as “one the most emotional [set of] days I’ve ever had in my life. It was amazing.”
“My biggest thing is just being respectful,” Jones tells The Advocate. “The last thing I want to do is disrespect anybody in what I’m portraying, and to do it respectfully and with class, and with dignity and pride, and I could not have been prouder than I was that day [that we filmed those scenes].”
Jones says because she is tall – 6’3″ – and “not the most feminine wallflower,” there are few days “somebody hasn’t called me ‘sir.'”
“It used to really strike a nerve with me, to where when I was younger, it was almost fighting words,” Jones says, adding, “you’ve gotta learn to love yourself and accept yourself, and then surround yourself with people that get you, and love you for who and what you are.”
Watch, and tell us what you think – how did “Glee” do telling the Coach’s story?
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Image via YouTube