Jordan Raskopoulos of Axis of Awesome Comes Out As Transgender In Video Message

Jordan Raskopoulos from Aussie musical-comedy trio Axis of Awesome was inundated with messages to bring the beard back when it disappeared in Feb 2015. Today though Jordan has promised that the facial hair would never, ever be coming back, coming out as transgender on social media at the same time.

“I don’t have a beard because I am a woman,” Jordan explained, unveiling her name name of Jordan Nicola Bridget Raskopoulos. “I am transgender. No shit. That’s right, I’m a girl.”

Sadly, like many people in the transgender community, Jordan has dealt with gender dysphoria ever since she was a kid. “I learned early on to be ashamed of it and keep it a secret. And I did a really, really good job of hiding it from everybody, including myself in a lot of ways.”

It was while on a tour in the UK in 2014 that Jordan reached breaking point, deciding that she no longer wanted to deny her true identity. “I decided that if I wanted a shot at a happy life and a happy future, then I needed to transition.” After coming home in October 2014 and telling her family, friends and bandmates Benny Davis and Lee Naimo, Jordan started the transition process in March 2015. 

She revealed that she was fearful of giving up the life she knew and loved as a performer, and engaged with stories of fellow transgender entertainers like Lana Wachowski and Laura Jane Grace. “Being trans does not mean you have to give up on your life, or your friends, or your family, or your career or your achievements. I’m going to continue exactly what I was doing before and I’m going to be fucking awesome.”

The announcement comes the same day that Axis of Awesome release their new album, with a national tour beginning in Adelaide later this month. Jordan says she won’t be answering any personal questions but has encouraged people to leave their messages of support in the comments of her video message (below). “But don’t be a dickhead,” she added. We’ll second that one.