Jacob Tobia

Growing up in North Carolina, Jacob Tobia knew they were different. They loved going into the woods, playing with bugs, having sword fights, and all the other “masculine” activities. But as a creative, glittered-obsessed child, they also loved playing with Barbies, dressing up in a tutu, and dancing around the house—activities often associated with being “feminine.” Tobia wanted it all—they have too much gender and refuse to be placed in either of the socially constructed binary genders. Now as an adult, in their entertaining and hilarious but oftentimes emotional and relatable talks, Tobia speaks about rethinking society’s harmful gender norms and urges us to embrace gender in a more expansive and complicated way.

As an actor, writer, and producer, Jacob Tobia created, produced, and hosted Queer 2.0, an original LGBTQ+ NBC News series that takes a deeper dive into explaining what it means to be queer. They have appeared on MTV’s long-running show True Life: I’m Genderqueer, voiced the nonbinary character Double Trouble in the Netflix animated series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and served as the Social Media Producer for Amazon’s Emmy Award-winning series, Transparent, a coming-out, and identity transformation story. Tobia also produced and starred in a historic, all-trans reading of the Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning play I Am My Own Wife. 

Jacob Tobia documents their heart-wrenching, eye-opening, and giggle-inducing  journey in their bestselling memoir, Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story. Reclaiming the word “sissy,” a term that they were teased with growing up, Tobia provides a funny but powerful account of overcoming the shame that was placed on them by the world for just being who they were and learning how to own their gender. Their compelling reflection on gender and self-acceptance will be adapted into a half-hour series by Showtime, with Tobia serving as the co-writer and co-executive producer.

Jacob Tobia graduated from Duke University, where they served as the vice president of equity and outreach for Duke Student Government, co-president of Blue Devils United, and president of Duke Students for Gender Neutrality. They successfully lobbied for full inclusion of gender-neutral housing and restrooms, pushed for comprehensive health care coverage for transgender students, mobilized the community against anti-LGBTQ+ ballot initiatives in North Carolina, and worked for socially responsible investing of Duke’s vast endowment. After college, Tobia has worked with the Human Rights Campaign and the United Nations Foundation before their television career.