Heartstopper Star Yasmin Finney Says Genuine Trans Representation Is Needed to Inspire the Next Generation

Television series like ‘Heartstopper’ and ‘Doctor Who’ featuring trans characters played by trans performers, like Yasmin Finney, show what authentic portrayals mean.

Representation of trans and LGBTQ+ characters in mainstream media is becoming more common and celebrated.

Euphoria and Gossip Girl are some of the best examples. However, Heartstopper stands out because its protagonists are played by real teenagers.

Highlights

• Yasmin Finney was born male (or assigned male at birth). She now identifies as a woman.
• The actress who played trans student Elle Argent in Heartstopper said having true representation on screen is important.
• Finney said TikTok helped her to find confidence while being bullied at school.

While admitting that Euphoria is amazing, the Heartstopper star said we need to have a true representation on the screen to inspire the younger generation to be confident in themselves.

The actress added that one can just be themselves and doesn’t have to have a Hollywood smile with clear skin to be on television.

“It would have meant so much to a younger Yasmin to see an Elle on screen who is living authentically and unapologetically as herself.”

Yasmin Finney

With this kind of representation, Yasmin hopes the younger generation won’t feel pressure to fit up to society’s expectations anymore.

Yasmin Finney Grew Up As A Black queer Woman

Yasmin was born on 30 August 2003 to a Jamaican mother, Tracey Finney, and an English father of Italian and Irish descent.

The talented actress was raised in Manchester by a single-parent mother.

The 21-year-old actress revealed that growing up as a queer woman, she doubted if she would ever be able to pursue her career in the entertainment industry.

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While dreaming of becoming an actor in London, she began documenting her experiences as a trans teen on TikTok, where she now has over two million followers.

In an interview with Vogue, Yasmin revealed that TikTok helped her gain confidence as she was being bullied at school.

“When I was at school getting bullied, my only way to escape was to go home and make a TikTok and look gorgeous in it.”

She told the publication that she still faces gender dysphoria, but knowing beauty is more than looks and the confidence she gained on TikTok has helped her.

“I created this whole fan base through being myself and being authentic. Through it, I found my power and was able to be comfortable in my own skin.”

Talking about her character in her breakthrough TV series Heartstopper, Yasmin said,

“I admire Elle so much.”

In the series, Elle Argent, a trans teenager, transfers from the boys’ school to an all-girls school. Elle struggles to be a trans woman of color and move schools.

Finney found a casting call while studying Performing Arts at college, and she immediately felt an affinity for Elle Argent.

Furthermore, the actress added another thing she liked about her breakthrough role. Unlike shows like Transparent and Pose, the Heartstopper doesn’t directly reveal that Elle is transgender.

Viewers are left to figure it out because she moves from a boys’ school to a girls’ school.

It’s so beautiful to see a trans story that’s normalized, instead of seeing a story focused on gender dysphoria, bullying, or the dark parts that come with being a trans person.”

Yasmin Finney

The Doctor Who actress said she will never look like Ariana Grande, but she is no longer afraid of wanting to look like someone else. She added,

“I don’t want to be perfect. I just want to be me, authentically.”

Additional Information

• Yasmin Finney’s net worth is estimated to be around $200K to $1 million.
• She has a half-sister with whom she grew up in Manchester.
• Finney initially gained fame through her TikTok videos, in which she shared her experiences as a Black British teenage trans woman.