Musical comic Jordan Raskopoulos comes out

Axis of Awesome comedian Jordan Raskopoulos has come out as transgender in a powerful and personal new video.

The Australian musical comic revealed that she’s ‘so much happier’ since she decided to transition – and that after some initial doubts she has decided to continue as a performer as ‘being trans does not mean you need to give up on your life’.

She made her decision while on a tour of the UK more than a year ago, and has now issued the video in response to fans asking what happened to the ‘Jack Black’ beard she used to sport.

On the video, she said: ‘Well, the truth of the matter is that there is a very good reason for why I got rid of my beard and a very very good reason why it is never, ever coming back. And that reason is that I am transgender. No shit.

‘That's right, I'm a girl, I am transgender, I’m a woman. Gender dysphoria is something I can remember dealing with ever since I was a kid but I learned early on to be ashamed of it and to keep it a secret and I did a really, really good job of hiding it from everybody – including myself in a lot of ways.

‘But towards the end of 2014 whilst we are on tour in the UK, I reached a point where I couldn't deny it anymore and sitting by myself in a hotel room I decided that if I wanted a shot at a happy life and a happy future then I needed to transition

‘I got back from tour in October 2014 I came out to my family my friends and [Axis of Awesome bandmates] Benny, and Lee and then in March started the transition process

‘There’s a lot that's changed physically and emotionally in the last year, but I have to say I am so much happier.’

She admitted that ‘initially I thought I'd have to give up being a comedian’ as she thought transitioning and continuing her old professional life would be mutually excessive.

But then she said that after hearing about other trans entertainers, ‘I reached another point where I was like, "Fuck that! I'm gonna carry on doing what I love and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it. In fact I think it's really important that I do because being trans does not mean you need to give up on your life or your friends or your family or your career or your achievements

‘I’m going to continue doing exactly what I was doing before and I'm going to be fucking awesome.’

Axis of Awesome have maintained a low profile over the last year while Raskopoulos began the transition process, although she helped launch the ‘comedy for gamers’ website Insert Coin, and has been writing about transgender issues under the pseudonym Nicole Fierce.

Raskopoulos – sister of fellow comedian Steen Raskopoulos – will be keeping his name Jordan, albeit with the addition of the new middle names Nicola and Bridget.

The group, best known for their Four Chords song which boasts more than 27million YouTube views, are now going on tour of Australia, starting with a run at the Adelaide Fringe on February 26. The have just released a new album called Viva La Vida Loca Las Vegas, and promise more online videos coming soon.

The new album features a cover of Transgender Dysphoria Blues by Against Me!, whose frontwoman, Laura Jane Grace, came out as transgender in 2012.

Last summer, comedian Will Franken came out as transgender and became known as Sarah. But a few months later, he decided to return to Will after experiencing abuse, finding it difficult to forge romantic attachments with women, and tiring of being pigeonholed purely as a transgender comedian.

Published: 15 Feb 2016