Into the Light with Big Read keynote speaker Scott Turner Schofield
Scott Turner Schofield
We constantly hear about self-acceptance, self-love, and striving to be authentic. But, when put into practice, the world actually wants that true self to remain in a particular (small minded) box. Luckily, there are voices who are getting louder than the critics. Scott Turner Schofield is one of those voices.
Schofield has been an artistic associate and teaching artist at 7 Stages for many years, as well as an actor, advocate, and consultant on series such as HBO’s EUPHORIA.
He joins us March 3, 2021 as this year’s National Endowment for the Arts keynote speaker. Below, find out what Schofield is working on next, his own journey to self-acceptance, and turning advice into affirmations.
Caroline Baxter
It is very fitting that you are this year’s Keynote speaker for the NEA Big Read featuring Stephanie Burt’s ADVICE FROM THE LIGHTS. Burt as well as yourself have used storytelling to counteract negative stigmas surrounding trans people. Can you talk about your own journey to self acceptance?
Scott Turner Schofield
I can and I do! I’ve done three one man shows about it—with the support of 7 Stages. The speech will be all about this journey, and how I had to get through so much resistance from everybody in the world to just do the simple thing of being myself—which is the first and most constant hurdle that trans and non-binary folks face. So I hope people will come listen, to learn about how this happens, and think about how not to do that to us anymore.
CB – If condensed down, Stephanie Burt’s ADVICE FROM THE LIGHTS can be described as poems about becoming your true self. You have spoken out about your own authenticity, if you could give one piece of advice on how to do this in our very opinionated world what would it be?
STS – I don’t have as much advice as I do affirmation. You do know who you are, and you have every right to become your true self. It will be the most difficult thing you will ever do—because our culture insists on pushing back—from questioning you, to concern trolling you, to not protecting you with the same rights, to excluding you in all sorts of ways, to reacting violently against you. That’s not about you, it’s about them. Don’t let them win, don’t miss out on finding yourself. Don’t regret and don’t be afraid: be yourself without apology, and thrive.
CB – Your advocacy and creative work seem to very much overlap, what made you feel a responsibility to educate others on inclusion surrounding trans rights both onscreen and off?
STS – I don’t know that I felt a responsibility. I just knew that if I wanted to have the life of my dreams—being an actor—I was going to have to help change the world so that I could be included in it. Because of where we are, culturally—how much people resist trans and non-binary people living our truths—it’s just kind of a process that hasn’t ended. Yet!
CB – Burt explores the pull to make art to find one’s true self, how do you use your art to process external and internal influences?
STS – That’s more a question a critic would answer! I don’t know, I just do! I cannot find any other way to interpret or share my experience than by telling stories about it. And really, there’s no more universally human impulse.
CB – Where can audiences find you next?
STS – I’m currently on two series that folks can watch: STUDIO CITY on Amazon Prime, and EQUAL on HBO Max. You can also join my “Choose Your Own Adventure” journey with films, podcasts, and stories by becoming a member of the community supporting Becoming a Man in 127 EASY Steps on Patreon (Patreon.com/127steps).
