Photo credit: Lilly Wachowski

Lilly Wachowski came out publicly as transgender on Tuesday in a statement shared by her hometown’s LGBT media outlet, The Windy City Times. In her statement, she said that, “To be transgender is something largely understood as existing within the dogmatic terminus of male or female. And to ‘transition’ imparts a sense of immediacy, a before and after from one terminus to another. But the reality, my reality is that I’ve been transitioning and will continue to transition all of my life, through the infinite that exists between male and female as it does in the infinite between the binary of zero and one. We need to elevate the dialogue beyond the simplicity of binary.”

GLAAD has created a Tip Sheet to help journalists report responsibly on the story.

Lilly’s sister, Lana Wachowski, talked about her transition at an HRC event in 2012. Under their former names, Lilly and Lana Wachowski have written and/or directed some of the most creative and ambitious films of the past two decades, including the GLAAD Media Award-winning film Bound, The Matrix trilogy, the GLAAD Media Award-nominated films V for Vendetta and Cloud Atlas. They are the co-creators of the current Netflix series Sense8, nominated for Outstanding Drama Series for this year’s GLAAD Media Awards.

In response to her statement, many celebrities and artists have publicly come forward to support Lilly Wachowski’s courage and willingness to be open about her transition, while challenging the media to change it’s repeated attempts to out trans people before they are ready to tell their story.

The brilliant Wachowskis are now sisters, Lilly and Lana. I love them!! t.co/hI5Ij8ZD57

— mia farrow (@MiaFarrow) March 9, 2016

Good on Lilly Wachowski for making the best of a bad situation, and so eloquently. Shame on @DailyMailUK, once again.

— Mara Wilson (@MaraWritesStuff) March 9, 2016

We love you Lilly  @MsJamieClayton: SO F*ING PROUD YASSS LILLY #LillyWachowski XX pic.twitter.com/0zZNN843hB t.co/M7L3dGINnr

— Tuppence Middleton (@Tuppence) March 9, 2016

Congratulations Lilly Wachowski on coming out as a transgender woman! #WachowskiSisters t.co/AePsce4BJ9 pic.twitter.com/b9grl574dc

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) March 9, 2016

HELL YEAH Lilly Wachowski. Forced outing is disgraceful but her statement RULES (see link). Happy #IWD2016, Lilly! t.co/96H6U5ZLaP

— Amy Dallen (@enthusiamy) March 9, 2016

really great statement from lilly wachowski too, on the daily mail trying to out her & coming to terms w/ coming out t.co/gWooM9xUSn

— josh lewis (@thejoshl) March 9, 2016

To quote Neo: Whoa.

(And also: Cool. Hello, Lilly Wachowski.) t.co/M2RcNfoW4M

— John Scalzi (@scalzi) March 9, 2016

Dear Lily Wachowski: Sorry your trans-ness warranted tabloid threats, but welcome to the sisterhood! t.co/UODZvO9aID #girlslikeus

— Janet Mock (@janetmock) March 9, 2016

Lilly Wachowski’s coming out statement is awful powerful. Read it all: t.co/4uqG7TrY5l / Here’s part: pic.twitter.com/MXALTXy7tR

— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) March 9, 2016

Sending love and pride to Lilly Wachowski – t.co/dMuVrx7eeq

— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) March 9, 2016

What extraordinary news from Lilly Wachowski. Awful that outlets were pressuring her with the threat of outing her though.

— Vann R. Newkirk II (@fivefifths) March 9, 2016

My dear friend Lily Wachowski comes out as #trans today, not by choice, but nonetheless with hope & support. t.co/s9axyKbooL

— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) March 8, 2016