Tyler Ford | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1990 or 1991 (age 32–33)[1] |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Vanderbilt University[3] |
| Occupation(s) | Writer, activist, actor, public speaker |
| Known for | Transgender advocacy |
| Website | myfriendtyler |
Tyler Ford is a writer, activist, actor, and public speaker who advocates for transgender and non-binary people.[1] Ford appeared as the first transgender contestant on The Glee Project in 2012.[3][4] Ford lives and works in New York City.
Designated female at birth and raised by a single mother in Boca Raton, Florida, Ford transitioned to male in college, but later came to identify as agender.[5][6] Ford is of mixed black and white Jewish ethnicity.[3][7] Their writing and speaking frequently addresses their challenges living as a transgender person of color.[8][5]
Ford gained national attention when Miley Cyrus brought them as her date to The Foundation for AIDS Research (AMFAR) gala in 2015.[9][10][11][12] Cyrus sought to raise awareness of people with non-binary gender identities as part of her LGBTQ advocacy work with the Happy Hippie Foundation; Ford and their friend Ariana Grande joined Cyrus in that effort.[13][10]
Ford wrote an article for The Guardian in 2015[14] and has written multiple articles for them. in 2017[15] and again in 2018.[16] They have written for MTV,[17] Rookie,[18] and other web sites.[1][19]
Ford has presented at South by Southwest (SXSW).[1][20] They gave the opening remarks for New York Youth Pride parade in 2018,[21] in which they talked about their coming out and transition.
In June 2017, Ford began voicing a non-binary character Milo on the Amazon Video animated series Danger & Eggs.[22][23]
Ford was named as one of MTV's best social media stars in 2015,[24] and as one of the Dazed 100 visionary talents in 2016.[25]
