Wendy Carlos| Transgender Woman

In the music industry, one of the leading transgender movers and shakers is Wendy Carlos. She rose to popularity for her electronic music and film scores during the 1960s through Johann Sebastian’s album Switch-On Bach where she showcased her Moog synthesizer. She was the one who helped in popularizing the use of the instrument, giving her three Grammy awards for her excellent performances. She also composed the score for A Clockwork Orange in 1971 and The Shining in 1980, both films by Stanley Kubrick. Before becoming a renewed musician, Carlos finished a degree in music composition at Columbia University. After graduation, she began working with various musicians and singers in New York City. Aside from being a musician, Carlos is also an accomplished photographer with a focus on the solar eclipse. Her work has been published by NASA several times.

During her high-flying career in the music industry, Carlos braved the odds and came out as a transgender woman. She admitted that she has been living as a woman since 1968, but it was only in 1972 when she began her reassignment surgery.