Costume designer Qween Jean made history at the 2026 Tony Awards, becoming the first out trans woman to win the honor. She took home Best Costume Design of a Musical for her work on Cats: The Jellicle Ball, a queer ballroom reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic musical that has captivated audiences on Broadway.

A Win with Purpose

In her acceptance speech, Jean spoke directly to the legacy she carries. "This experience has been monumental," she said, addressing the history of queer and trans artists. "We are here for the legacy of queer people, trans people. We have to take up space. We have to shift the paradigm." She went on to connect her win to broader struggles, noting that society can make real change when communities come together, even as "the world right now is deeply, deeply combating so many ailments."

Jean's work on Cats was extraordinary in scope. She created approximately 500 costumes for the production, many of them intentional tributes to trans pioneers like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Miss Major Griffin-Gracy. The designer, a Haitian native who grew up in Miami, drew on her deep knowledge of ballroom history and queer culture to bring the vision to life. She was also nominated in the Best Costume Design of a Play category for her work on Liberation, though she did not win that award.

Activism Beyond Broadway

Jean used her moment on stage to speak about urgent issues facing her community. She called attention to the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey, describing conditions of medical neglect and poor sanitary standards. As an immigrant herself, Jean emphasized the importance of using her platform as an artist. "I'm an immigrant, and so it's really monumental to use whatever we can as artists to speak up and to speak out," she explained.

Beyond her theatrical achievements—which also include a Drama Desk Award, a Dorian Award for LGBTQ Theater Artist of the Season, and a Lucille Lortel Award—Jean founded the Black Trans Liberation Kitchen, a mutual aid organization based in New York that provides food, clothing, and other necessities to trans people in need. Her Tony win arrives not as a solo achievement, but as a recognition of her broader commitment to her community.

Sources: Autostraddle, LGBTQ Nation, HuffPost, PinkNews, Pride, Out

Cover photo: cottonbro studio / Pexels

costume design

Qween Jean Makes History as First Out Trans Woman to Win Tony