Jacob Tobia

Jacob Tobia (born August 7, 1991) is an American LGBT rights activist, writer, producer, television host and actor. In 2019, they published their memoir titled Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story. They are also the voice of the character Double Trouble in DreamWorks' animated series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.[2] Tobia has been recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30 and the Out100.[3][4]

Jacob Tobia
Tobia at Microsoft New England Research and Development Center in 2019
Born (1991-08-07) August 7, 1991[1]
Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.
CitizenshipAmerican
EducationRaleigh Charter High School
Alma materDuke University
OccupationWriter, activist, producer
Known forLGBTQ rights advocacy
Websitejacobtobia.com

Early life and education

Tobia's grandparents were Syrians who immigrated to the United States in the 1950s who spoke Arabic, which Tobia said was "the language that I do not speak but wish I could."[5][6] Tobia was raised in Raleigh, North Carolina in a Methodist family and graduated in 2010 from Raleigh Charter High School, serving there as president of the Gay Straight Alliance and being active in student government.[7][8] Tobia applied to Harvard University, and was accepted, but chose to attend Duke University instead where they graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Human Rights Advocacy.[9][10] While a student at Duke, Tobia served as the vice president of equity and outreach for Duke Student Government, was co-president of Blue Devils United, and president of Duke Students for Gender Neutrality.[11]

Career and activism

Tobia is a Point Foundation Scholar,[9] Harry S. Truman Scholar,[12] and a recipient of the Campus Pride National Voice and Action Award. Their writing has been featured on MSNBC, MTV, The Huffington Post, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Guardian, BuzzFeed, Jezebel and other media outlets. They've also served on conference panels and spoken at Harvard University, Princeton University, Columbia University, and various LGBTQ conferences across the United States. They worked for the United Nations Foundation, the Human Rights Campaign, and the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice before starting a career in television.[13]

In September 2013, Tobia raised over $10,000 for the Ali Forney Center running across the Brooklyn Bridge in five-inch heels as part of their Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) commitment to action. They were recently honored again for their larger impact to LGBTQIA+ community by CGI U in 2018 at the University of Chicago.[7]

Tobia was featured in MTV's The T Word, where they were interviewed by Laverne Cox. In 2015, Tobia was profiled in the GLAAD Award-nominated episode of True Life: I'm Genderqueer by MTV.[14] In 2016 they were named in Out's 100.[15] Later in 2016, Tobia created, co-produced and hosted Queer 2.0, an original LGBTQ series for NBC News.[16]

Jacob book reading, Raleigh, North Carolina, March 2019

In 2017, Tobia moved from New York to Los Angeles to begin working on Season 4 of Jill Soloway's series Transparent.[17] Tobia also provided the voice of Double Trouble in season 4 of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.[18]

In 2018, Tobia became the face of an advertising campaign for the gender non-conforming makeup brand Fluide, promoting a line of lip colors named after queer spaces, such as gay bars.[19]

Sissy

In June 2017, Tobia announced they would be releasing a memoir titled Sissy.[20] The book sold in a six-figure deal to Putnam Books.[21] Sissy was released in March 2019 and was a National Bestseller.[22] Tobia was featured as a guest on Trevor Noah's The Daily Show to promote the book. They discussed the term "gender chill", gendered violence, and the playful nature of non-binary genders.[23] Sissy was well-received by The New York Times Book Review who wrote compared to Tobia to David Sedaris and Mindy Kaling.[24] They wrote, "[Tobia] combines incisive wit and undeniable intelligence to invite readers into their personal journey as a gender-nonconforming young person in North Carolina...If Tobia aspires to the ranks of comic memoirists like David Sedaris and Mindy Kaling, Sissy succeeds."

In November 2019, Showtime announced they will be developing a half-hour show based on Tobia's memoir Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story. Tobia will serve as co-writer and co-executive producer for the adaptation alongside Michael Lannan, the co-creator of the HBO series, Looking.[25] The series will follow the life of Tobi Gibran, a non-binary student who moves from North Carolina to New York City.[26]

Personal life

Tobia identifies as genderqueer, and uses singular they pronouns.[27]

Bibliography
  • Transgender Today: Jacob Tobia for The New York Times[28]
  • I am neither Mr, Mrs nor Ms but Mx for The Guardian[29]
  • Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Motto by Time[30]
  • An Open Letter to North Carolina's Lawmakers from a Trans North Carolinian for Women's Health[31]
  • Telling Trans Stories Beyond 'Born in the Wrong Body for BuzzFeed[32]
  • I Have Long Nails Because I'm Proud Of What They Mean for BuzzFeed[33]
  • The 1970s Feminist Who Warned Against Leaning In for BuzzFeed[34]
  • An Affront against All Women for New America Weekly[35]
  • Trans Fashion is Not (Necessarily) Trans Empowerment for Hooligan Magazine[36]
  • How Student Activists at Duke Transformed a $6 Billion Endowment for The Nation[37]
  • Where I Belong for Duke Magazine[11]
  • LGBTQIA: A Beginner's Guide to the Great Alphabet Soup Of Queer Identity for Mic[38]
  • To All the Married Gay Couples Out There: The Fight Doesn't End With DOMA's Ruling for Mic[39]
  • Obama Morehouse Speech: Was the President Unintentionally Transphobic? for Mic[40]
  • The Power of Trans Vulnerability for The Huffington Post[41]
  • Five Dos and Five Don'ts for College Seniors (From a Point Scholar Who's Been There) for The Huffington Post[42]
  • Dear Mr. President: Students Ask Obama to Protect LGBT Employees for The Huffington Post[43]
  • Why You Should Be Optimistic After Amendment One: A North Carolinian's Perspective for The Huffington Post[44]
  • Why I'm Genderqueer, Professional and Unafraid for The Huffington Post[45]
  • The Orlando Shooting Was An Act Of Hate for MTV[46]
  • How To Talk To Your Parents About Being Genderqueer for MTV[47]
  • I'm Genderqueer — Please Stop Asking Me When I'm 'Really' Going To Transition for MTV[27]
  • Jacob Tobia - Promoting a “Gender-Chill” Exploration of Identity with “Sissy” | The Daily Show with Trevor Noah[48]

References
  1. Jacob Tobia [@JacobTobia] (Aug 7, 2015). "Y'ALL IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!! I'M TURNING 24 YEARS YOUNG!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. "Jacob Tobia | HuffPost". www.huffpost.com. Retrieved 2019-08-22.
  3. "Jacob Tobia". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  4. "Jacob Tobia: 'Gender Is Simple for Nobody'". PAPER. 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  5. Tobia, Jacob (June 14, 2017). "Remember The Forces That Marginalize Queers Also Marginalize Muslims". The Huffington Post. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  6. Martin, Michel (June 18, 2016). "Barbershop: Taking Stock Of Orlando With Members Of The LGBTQ Community". NPR. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  7. Lee, Traci G. (December 18, 2012). "Supporting an LGBT youth center with high hopes–and high heels". MSNBC. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  8. "Chartering Our Course" (PDF). Raleigh Charter High School. November 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  9. "Jacob Tobia". Point Foundation. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  10. Tobia, Jacob (2019). Sissy. G.P. Putnam’s Sons. p. 170.
  11. Tobia, Jacob (July 18, 2014). "Where I Belong | Duke Magazine". Duke Magazine. Duke University. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  12. "Award Winners". Office of Undergraduate Scholars & Fellows. Duke University. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  13. "Jacob Tobia". 2017-02-24. Archived from the original on 2017-02-24.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  14. Rothkopf, Joanna (November 17, 2015). "A Conversation with Genderqueer Activist and Latest MTV True Life Subject Jacob Tobia". Jezebel. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  15. "Out100 2016". OUT Magazine. 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  16. "Welcome to Queer 2.0!". NBC News. June 3, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  17. Talusan, Meredith (June 22, 2017). "Why Can't My Famous Gender Nonconforming Friends Get Laid?". Vice. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  18. "She-Ra welcomes its first non-binary character — get a first look at Jacob Tobia as Double Trouble". Entertainment Weekly. October 21, 2019.
  19. Barbour, Shannon (March 7, 2018). "Gender-Nonconforming Activist Jacob Tobia Lands Gorgeous New Beauty Campaign". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
  20. Biedenharn, Isabella (June 23, 2017). "Gender nonconforming writer Jacob Tobia announces memoir, Sissy". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  21. "Jacob Tobia". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  22. "Sissy by Jacob Tobia: 9780735218840 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  23. Jacob Tobia - Promoting a "Gender-Chill" Exploration of Identity with "Sissy" | The Daily Show, retrieved 2019-11-17
  24. McBride, Sarah (2019-05-23). "Two L.G.B.T.Q. Memoirs Sow the Seeds of Progress (Published 2019)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  25. "Showtime to develop series based on Jacob Tobia memoir 'Sissy'". NBC News. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  26. Edwards, Sarah (2019-11-26). "Jacob Tobia's Memoir "Sissy" to Be Adapted by Showtime". INDY Week. Retrieved 2019-12-24.
  27. Tobia, Jacob (November 16, 2015). "I'm Genderqueer — Please Stop Asking Me When I'm 'Really' Going To Transition". MTV. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  28. "Transgender Lives: Your Stories - Jacob Tobia". NYTimes.com. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  29. Jacob Tobia. "I am neither Mr, Mrs or Ms but Mx | Jacob Tobia | Opinion". The Guardian. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  30. Tobia, Jacob (2016-05-12). "Gender Neutral Pronouns: How to Use the Right Pronouns - Motto". Motto.time.com. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  31. Tobia, Jacob (2016-04-01). "An Open Letter to North Carolina's Lawmakers from a Trans North Carolinian | Women's Health". Womenshealthmag.com. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  32. "What Happens If You're A Trans Person Who Doesn't Feel "Trapped In The Wrong Body"". Buzzfeed.com. 2016-05-14. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  33. "I Have Long Nails Because I'm Proud Of What They Mean". Buzzfeed.com. 2015-02-27. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  34. "The 1970s Feminist Who Warned Against Leaning In - BuzzFeed News". Buzzfeed.com. 2015-02-27. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  35. Tobia, Jacob (2016-04-07). "An Affront against All Women". Newamerica.org. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  36. "Trans Fashion is Not (Necessarily) Trans Empowerment — Hooligan Mag". Hooliganmagazine.com. 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  37. Williams, Casey (2014-01-25). "How Student Activists at Duke Transformed a $6 Billion Endowment". The Nation. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  38. "LGBTQIA: A Beginner's Guide to the Great Alphabet Soup Of Queer Identity". Mic. 2013-03-02. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  39. "To All the Married Gay Couples Out There: The Fight Doesn't End With DOMA's Ruling". Mic. 2013-06-27. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  40. "Obama Morehouse Speech: Was the President Unintentionally Transphobic?". Mic. 2013-05-24. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  41. "The Power of Trans Vulnerability". The Huffington Post. 2016-05-05. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  42. "Five Dos and Five Don'ts for College Seniors (From a Point Scholar Who's Been There)". The Huffington Post. 2016-02-02. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  43. "Dear Mr. President: Students Ask Obama to Protect LGBT Employees". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  44. "Why You Should Be Optimistic After Amendment One: A North Carolinian's Perspective". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  45. "Why I'm Genderqueer, Professional and Unafraid". The Huffington Post. 2016-02-02. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  46. "The Orlando Shooting Was An Act Of Hate". MTV. 2016-06-16. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  47. "How To Talk To Your Parents About Being Genderqueer". MTV. 2015-11-23. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  48. "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah". YouTube. Retrieved 2019-11-17.
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