11 Transgender People Who Are Shifting Our Views In 2015

From Caitlyn Jenner to Laverne Cox, 2015 is the year that #TransIsBeautiful. Break the boundaries.

1. Laverne Cox

Netflix & Seraphatonin / Via seraphatonin.tumblr.com

First transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy, the first transgender person to have a wax figure at Madam Tussauds, and the first transgender person to be on the cover of TIME magazine. 'Nuff said.

2. Aydian Dowling

FTM / Via ftmmagazine.com

As the likely winner of the 2015 "Ultimate Guy Search", Aydian Howling is a transgender model whose FTM magazine photoshoot went viral. In July, he will probably become the first transgender model to be on the cover of Men's Health.

3. Janet Mock

Janet Mock / Via janetmock.com

Contributing editor at Marie Claire and Host of #SoPOPular, Janet Mock is a transgender activist who utilises Twitter, Tumblr, and Social Media to raise awareness for the LGBTQI community.

4. Ben Barres

Brain Facts / Via brainfacts.org

A Harvard alumni and trans activist, Dr. Ben Barres is the Chair of the Neurobiology department at Stanford University School of Medicine. As the first openly transgender member of the US National Academy of Sciences, he has been quietly blazing trails in both the science world and LGBTQ community.

5. Andreja Pejić

Vogue / Via vogue.com

Before her transition, Andreja Pejić was a gender-fluid model who walked the top catwalks for Gaultier, Marc Jacobs, and several other designers. After her transition and decision to publicly identify as a transgender woman, Andreja continues to be a sought-after model and in 2015, became the first transgender model to be profiled by Vogue.

6. Stephen Whittle

Stephen Whittle / Via Twitter.com

A British Professor of Law, Stephen Whittle fought in the European Court of Human Rights for his right to legally identify as a male and have a child via IVF with his future wife, Sarah Rutherford. His work, manifesting as the research report Engendered Penalties: Transsexual and Transgender People’s Experience of Inequality and Discrimination, was instrumental in passing the UK's Gender Recognition Act 2004, awarding him an OBE and establishing the framework of legal recognition for transgender people.

7. Jamie Clayton

Netflix / Via cdn.collider.com

Although she had previously made waves in Dirty Work and Hung, Jamie Clayton broke out even further in 2015 in Netflix's new show Sense8. Jamie's turn as computer hacker, Nomi, is her meatiest and strongest role yet.

8. Schuyler Bailar

Swimming World / Via swimmingworldmagazine.com

In 2015, Schuyler Bailar will become the first openly transgender swimmer in NCAA history when he competes for Harvard University. The 19 year old is currently documenting his transition on Instagram and has already been profiled by Guardian magazine.

9. Audrey Middleton

CBS / Via az711664.vo.msecnd.net

Although some might view Audrey's addition to this list surprising, Audrey Middleton will soon break out into the public conscious in the next few weeks. As a 2015 houseguest on Big Brother 17, she is the first transgender contestant on CBS's reality shows and has already been mentioned several times, including on The Talk, TMZ, EW, and People.

10. Skylar Kergil

Julia Luckett / Via static1.squarespace.com

One of the first transgender YouTube vloggers, Skylar Kergil documented his transition in his vlogs, accruing almost 6 million hits. He is a talented musician with an EP "Tell Me a Story" and is the star of PBS's First Person.

11. Caitlyn Jenner

Annie Leibovitz / Via Vanity Fair

And Caitlyn herself. Arguably the most visible transgender person in 2015, Caitlyn has over 2 million Twitter followers whose Diane Swayer interview and documentary I Am Cait are generating substantial visibility for what it means to be transgender. Her Vanity Fair cover has become iconic and a celebration of acceptance for transgender people.

#TransIsBeautiful

This is 2015, Buzzfeed!