Wanda Sykes is commemorating Transgender Awareness Week (Nov. 13-19) by tipping her hat to a beloved trans pioneer.
The actor and comedian narrates the debut episode of “Now You Know,” a new animated digital series. HuffPost got a sneak peek at the series, which premieres Thursday, via the above clip.
In it, Sykes takes a look back at the history of LGBTQ rights in the U.S., where laws already prohibited same-sex relationships when the country was founded in 1776. She then fast-forwards to the 20th century, and specifically to the 1969 Stonewall uprising, the symbolic start of the modern LGBTQ rights movement.
She makes a special nod to Marsha P. Johnson, the black transgender woman who was a key figure in the historic uprising.
“Now You Know” is being presented by Ellen Degeneres’ digital network in partnership with the media company ATTN. The new series was created to “bring awareness to pressing and timely issues of our culture” while entertaining viewers, according to press notes.
The full “History of LGBTQ” episode, along with future “Now You Know” clips, will be available on DeGeneres’ site and her YouTube channel.
Earlier this year, Sykes voiced one of the characters on Hulu’s “The Bravest Knight,” a children’s series about a mixed race same-sex couple. Her latest comedy special, “Wanda Sykes: Not Normal,” debuted on Netflix in June.
