The multitalented Hunter Schafer stepped onto the IU Auditorium stage on February 29, sharing highlights from her creative journey and discussing the balancing act of being a transgender person in entertainment as a guest speaker for the Speaking of Excellence series.
“I think it can be a little scary to know that you have a lot of eyes on you,” Schafer said. “My reaction to that is to not think about it and keep trusting my gut feelings about what I’m working on and what I’m excited about.”
Schafer, an actress, model, director and activist, took part in a dialogue ranging from her experiences on the set of the HBO series Euphoria to her work as an ambassador for Prada.
Schafer is the second speaker in the “Speaking of Excellence” series. Created by the IUB LGBTQ+ Culture Center, the series collaborates with partners such as Union Board and IU Libraries to feature internationally recognized LGBTQ+ personalities. The center welcomes IU students, faculty, staff and community in an evening of education and celebration of LGBTQ+ excellence.
Bob LeBien, who made the speaker series possible, said he wanted to create an opportunity to showcase excellence in the LGBTQ+ community in honor of his granddaughter, who is transgender. Through a focus on excellence, he aims to open the hearts and minds of those less accepting of the LGBTQ+ community.
“I want people to have the same opportunities I had,” LeBien said. “With the speaker series, I wanted to make people aware of the excellence of the LGBTQ+ community.”
Bruce Smail, director of the LGBTQ+ Culture Center, said the series invites speakers who represent success in a variety of fields.
“It helps the general public get a sense of the accomplishments of the individual as well as find out a little more about someone’s identity,” Smail said.
Students highly anticipated this event, Smail said. Some had the opportunity to meet Schafer personally in a roundtable discussion and meet-and-greet.
Freshman Mia Sears, invited to the meet-and-greet, said it was an honor for Schafer to come to campus.
“Hunter Schafer has always been in the light about LGBTQ+ issues and been really honest about her experiences,” Sears said. “I respect her so much.”
A highlight of the evening was Schafer’s interest in fashion. As a Prada ambassador, she often experiments with her style, saying she has always been drawn to aesthetic cultivation and creativity, going back to preschool when she would play dress-up in princess gowns.
“I’ve always had this intense relationship and love with clothes and whatever happens when you put something on you and you become something else,” Schafer said. “It’s become an obsession, and it hasn’t gone away.”
In addition to her creative interests, Schafer discussed typecasting and other challenges as a transgender woman in the entertainment industry. She said she doesn't want the industry to make her the face of the transgender movement, and she seeks out complex roles that are not defined by their transness alone.
This quality drew her to the character “Jules” in “Euphoria.”
“Her transness is barely even mentioned,” Schafer said. “It’s just this piece of her that exists and is present and may be visible at some times but never the centerpiece. I really loved that vision.”
The conversation portion of the evening closed with a question from Nithin Krishnan, one of the student moderators of the event.
“The ‘Speaking of Excellence’ series hopes to uplift the voices of LGBTQ+ individuals who have excelled at their lives and have inspired others,” Krishnan said. “When was the first time you were inspired to live as your authentic self?”
Schafer couldn’t pinpoint an exact moment, but she said she remembers the feeling as a child of watching other transgender and LGBTQ+ people be who they were without shame.
She joked that seeing these people thrive made her realize it was even an option to live authentically.
“Seeing other people live their fullest truth is always one of the most visceral experiences, and maybe it feels like a personal attack when you’re not doing it yourself,” Schafer said. “You’re confronted with something so bright and beautiful and truthful that it sticks you with a, ‘Oh my god, you’re not doing this.’”
Speaking of Excellence is made possible by private philanthropy. Consider making a gift to support the celebration of LGBTQ+ excellence.