Ryan Murphy's Pose has made television history since its debut. The FX show features five transgender series regulars, which is the most trans actors to ever appear as regulars on a scripted television series. In a new interview, trans actor and activist Laverne Cox explained why that casting decision is such an important moment.

Speaking with Variety for their Transgender Actors Roundtable, Laverne recalled how hopeful she felt after watching the Pose premiere. "I sat and watched the first episode and I just cried, because I knew this talent existed," she said. "It felt revolutionary. I said to myself, 'This proves that we can do the job, that we can lead shows, that we can write, that we can direct. We can tell our own stories, and it can be brilliant. This is going to change the game.'”

Others in the roundtable also shared their thoughts on Pose, including Jen Richards, a trans actor who played a trans character on the television series Nashville. She said that the show has created a "post-Pose" world, noting that it's an accurate representation of the transgender community. "It's such a great example of what happens when you include trans people at every level of the production," she said. "You really show a whole community."

Laverne went on to address how casting transgender actors changes the conversation and propels Hollywood and representation further. She pointed out how television and the media may be the only source of information on transgender people for some Americans, and that allowing cisgender people to portray these roles won't help to end continued transgender discrimination.

"In this cultural environment, when we see representations of cis people playing us over and over again, that reinforces the idea that trans women are not really women and trans men are not really men and nonbinary people don’t exist," she said. "That is the basis of the discrimination that trans people experience."

The Orange is the New Black cast member also shared how potentially impactful the inclusion of trans actors in television and film can be for trans viewers, saying, "I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met over the years who said, 'I didn’t think it was possible for me to be an actor, and then I saw you on TV.' Now there’s a generation of trans kids coming up who think that it’s possible for them to be openly trans and actually have a career as an actor. It’s really exciting."

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Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: Get to Know the 5 Trans Actors on "Pose" Making Television History