‘Pose’ Star Indya Moore Defends Laverne Cox Following MAGA Cop Ex-Boyfriend Controversy

Actor and LGBTQ+ advocate Laverne Cox has inspired millions within the Transgender community by sharing her truth. But in July 2025, her openness caused a visceral reaction in an already tense political climate.

During an Instagram Live, the Orange Is the New Black alum revealed that she dated a “a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, MAGA Republican voter” who also happened to be a cop based in New York City. Despite their politicial and racial differences and him being 22 years younger than her, she claimed they "were madly in love."

While Laverne also stated in the live that she and her unnamed ex didn't share the same political beliefs, many who supported her over the years didn't enjoy what she had to say. Amid the backlash, Laverne has received support from other famous trans actors, including Pose star Indya Moore, and explained her part in the controversy. Here's what to know.

As Laverne received backlash on social media, Indya took to Instagram to encourage fans not to cancel her because of her past. In a 5-page Instagram statement, Indya posted a photo of Laverne's one-woman show, "Gurrl, How Did I Get Here?" which she was promoting when she revealed the details of her MAGA ex. Indya then shared their thoughts on the controversy and reminded her followers of how Laverne has positively impacted the trans community.

"Please support Laverne's show!!" Indya wrote in the post. "There was a point where Laverne Cox was the only one at her time. She used her visibility to uplift our struggle, our humanity, and our right to exist, albeit everywhere people are. Laverne's legacy is that of a woman who has — in every way of her being — argued successfully that we (trans people) exist within the right to share the Earth with everyone else."

The former FX star added that while they and Laverne are "merely acquainted," they said it was "deeply hurtful" to see how the Clean Slate actor was treated for sharing her story. She also shared how the unique experience many Black trans femmes experience in the dating world plays a role in the partners they choose, noting how fans cheered her Pose character, Angel, for dating a man, played by Evan Peters, who worked for Donald Trump in 1980s-set New York City.

"Most people loved this storyline and moved on quickly to villify Laverne for hers," Indya mentioned. "So much of the way we are politicizing her life, simply because she shared a juxtaposition of her love life and identity is trans misogynist, and other Black trans women agreeing with you does not change that. Laverne being famous doesn't change that."

"It offends me to see my community eagerly seek out an example of Laverne for a mistake most of us have made some version of," she continued. "Please offer your love and curiosity."

In addition to Indya, Laverne defended her Instagram Live shortly after her clip made its rounds. During her follow-up live on July 21 and said she didn't think spilling her tea would cause the commotion it did and encouraged her fans to attend her City Winery show to find out how the relationship between her and the Trump supporting cop ended.

"I didn’t really think about what the reaction would be, I was just like, telling the truth about it,” Laverne said. "But for the record, when we matched on Tinder, I didn’t know what he did for a living [or] his politics. We were just chatting, he told me he did something else.”

The Promising Young Woman actor also explained that, once she discovered her ex's political beliefs, she was hopeful they could make things work, admitting, "I fell in love with a human being who had different politics, and the good things about that relationship were so good that I was willing to work with the politics I didn’t agree with.” However, once she realized "lines had to be drawn" in their relationship, she eventually had to love him from a distance.

Laverne also pushed back on comments accusing her of “fascist apologia” and “collaborating” with the MAGA movement, stressing that she had never voted for Trump and considered herself an antifascist.

"I’m not going to hate people," she declared. I don’t believe in that. We have to fight the fascists, and we have to fight the fascist regime. But as we do that, I hope that we’re not dehumanizing people with different beliefs the way they’re dehumanizing us."