Leo Sheng

We fell in love with Leo Sheng as Micah in The L Word: Generation Q, the revival of the groundbreaking Showtime TV show that concluded this year. Micah was the first transgender character in the franchise to be treated with real respect, and he eventually became one of our favorite L Word characters of all time.

Not only did Micah (and Sheng) show us the very real (and very underrepresented) experience of a trans man in a community of mostly queer women, but he also had one of the sweetest love stories on the show. While Generation Q might’ve been canceled (far too soon), at least fans got to see Micah and Maribel (Jillian Mercado) find a happy ending together.

Sheng is proud of the work he did on The L Word and believes strongly in the power that art can have, especially for marginalized groups. “My work is about focusing on queer and trans stories on-screen, as we are often overlooked and underrepresented in ‘mainstream’ spaces,” he says. “My background is in community organizing and social work, and I see media as a very real tool for change, both interpersonally and structurally. I believe that the films and television we create and view influence public opinion, which can (hopefully) lead to social and political progress.” @ileosheng