All the world's a stage, and Lennon Torres is going to dance her heart out on it.
The Dance Moms alum has seen some big changes in the past 12 months. On March 2, 2021, she began her medical transition. On May 30, 2021, she publicly came out as trans in a "life update" on TikTok. Since then, she's become a inspirational voice in the LGBTQ+ community as she documents her journey on social media.
Now, one year since starting a new chapter in her life, Lennon sat down with E! News in an exclusive interview in honor of Transgender Day of Visibility to discuss the ups and downs she experienced during her transition and the importance of sharing trans stories.
"There are so many different steps you have to go through—some good, some bad," the 23-year-old said of transitioning. "I'm happy to be here, but it can be really challenging."
Read on for more of her story.
E! News: Take us back to March 2, 2021. What was that day like for you?
Lennon Torres: I remember that day very clearly for many reason, but primarily because it was the day after my mom's birthday. It was just a really exciting time. Everyone in my family was working or had school, and so I actually went to my appointment by myself, which was weird but special. I remember getting in the car being like, "Am I driving to Walgreens to pick up my hormones right now?" It was such a cool day with so many different emotions.
E! News: And how was the journey to that day like?
LT: I came into this slowly and gradually because of my circumstances. I came out as gay when I was 15 years old. Then, I was training and working so much that I just didn't have time to sit and think about who I was becoming. So, when I got to college, I had amazing friends who were growing into themselves and I was like, "Oh, I have some growing to do." That's when I realized that the he/him pronouns and the identifying as a male was certainly not happening for me, and I came out as non-binary.
Non-binary is a very valid identity for everyone who identifies like that. But for me, it was a little bit of a transition period and space for me to experience and understand what it means to not identify with the binary. I remember I was doing a video shoot for my company, Continuum Community, and my mom had done my hair differently because I unintentionally started growing out my hair. I was like, "Oh, she's kind of looking good right now" and my mom was like, "Oh, are we doing she?'"
That got the wheels like turning: "Oh, she/her. We got some changes make." That was the spark of that conversation that led us to coming out to some closer friends and family.
E!: What are some of the positive things you've experienced since going public with your transition?
LT: I think the biggest standout is hearing the good that you're doing. I believe in the power of children and the power of the youth. So, when I get messages from parents that are like, "You saved my kid" or "You just being yourself is making my kid more confident," that brings me more joy than anything I've ever done. I do it for young people and for people of all ages who need that boost.
E!: What are the negative things you've experienced during that time?
LT: One thing that comes to mind is being scrutinized, always being worried about what others are thinking. I've always had a really big insecurity about being in that half-famous, half-not world. For a while, I was like, "Are people judging me for leaning into it? Are people judging me for not leaning into it? Are people saying hurtful things about my identity?" It gets very overwhelming and very exhausting.
E!: What does Transgender Day of Visibility mean to you?
LT: Trans Day of Visibility is really about seeing these people for who they are and allowing them to be seen and heard. Visibility is about putting trans people in headlines and leaving them there. It's about being honest and sharing these stories whenever they come up and whenever they're necessary to be heard. I'm a transgender woman, but I'm also Lennon—who is a transgender woman and that's not my entire identity.
E!: Who are some of your role models?
LT: I've been really inspired by Lia Thomas lately. Just watching her just trailblazing in athletics and in swimming. There's so much to transitioning and the fact that there are people out there doing it while maintaining a career is so unbelievably inspiring. I just look to them and say, "If they can do it, I can do it."
E!: How has your transition impacted the way you train as a dancer?
LT: It's made my dancing so much more rewarding because I'm not hiding any part of me anymore. It's not that I was ever intentionally hiding, it was just that I wasn't letting all my walls down. It's changed the way I perceive myself in the dance industry and has also increased my self-worth. I've had the big privilege of still working as a dancer while going through my medical transition, and that's been really awesome because I'm showing up as my full self.
E!: What is next for Lennon?
I officially was able to legally change my name, which was a really big deal. I'm excited to begin the process of getting all the right legal documentation so I can go out with my friends and debut Lennon Monroe Torres.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.