At White House, ‘Jeopardy!’ star Amy Schneider tells trans youth to ‘hang in there’

Amy Schneider can’t cease successful. After wrapping a record-shattering stint on “Jeopardy!” and getting engaged to the love of her life, the trailblazing trivia phenom visited the White Home for Trans Day of Visibility.

On Thursday, the previous software program engineering supervisor from Oakland, Calif., spoke with reporters on the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room about points affecting the trans neighborhood and aims for her journey to Washington, D.C.

“The White Home was ok to ask me right here and be seen, I suppose,” Schneider mentioned from behind the presidential lectern. “I’m simply actually, actually honored to be right here and actually grateful that that is being celebrated and the trans persons are being celebrated in a spot like this.”

Requested to touch upon anti-trans laws in sure states — equivalent to legal guidelines that prohibit entry to gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth and prohibit trans women from taking part in women sports activities — Schneider mentioned, “They’re actually scary.”

“These are life-saving medical remedies, and … these payments will trigger the deaths of kids, and that’s actually unhappy to me,” she added. “It’s actually horrifying.”

Addressing trans youngsters in these states immediately, Schneider mentioned, “Cling in there.

“I believe that this backlash proper now could be short-term,” she continued. “The nation general is on our aspect and getting extra so on daily basis. And I believe it’s not going to be too lengthy earlier than these types of payments are seen as a factor of the previous.”

Nevertheless, Schneider mentioned she has no plans “in the mean time” to personally foyer in opposition to such laws on the state degree.

“I’m attempting to determine the place that type of advocacy and activism suits into my life,” she mentioned. “Every little thing’s modified in the previous couple of months, and I’m nonetheless enjoying it by ear. I wish to do extra of it. However for proper now, I’m simply unsure what the best and efficient approach to try this could be.”

In the end, Schneider mentioned her aim is to proceed doing what she’s been doing up to now, which is “being a trans particular person on the market that isn’t monstrous and isn’t threatening and is only a regular particular person like all of us are.”

“The extra that folks like me will be seen, the more durable it’s to maintain the myths which might be driving quite a lot of this hate and concern,” she added.

Earlier within the day, Schneider returned to Twitter for the primary time in every week to make an essential announcement.

“I do know I haven’t been posting rather a lot on right here, however I’ve been touring everywhere in the nation these previous few weeks,” Schneider defined.

“This morning, for example we’re on the point of go to, properly… THE WHITE HOUSE!!!!! It’s arduous to imagine that is actually occurring.”

In her tweet, the game-show champion additionally shared pictures of herself and her new fiancée, Genevieve Davis, getting all glammed up forward of their White Home go to.

On her Instagram story, Schneider posted a candy selfie of her and Davis proudly “repping Oakland” by carrying attire made by Bay Space designers on their flight to Washington, D.C.

Schneider and Davis obtained an invitation to the White Home as a part of the Biden administration’s plans for Trans Day of Visibility. Along with boasting the second-longest “Jeopardy!” run ever — and the longest successful streak for a lady — Schneider additionally made historical past because the quiz present’s first overtly transgender winner to qualify for the Match of Champions.

“Particularly across the earlier trans contestants which have been on — that meant rather a lot to me to see them and be capable of envision myself the place they had been,” Schneider instructed the Los Angeles Instances in January.

“I hope [my success] makes it appear attainable. … A spot that ladies belong is on that champion’s podium.”

In accordance with the Related Press, Schneider was slated to fulfill Thursday with second gentleman Doug Emhoff, who will later co-host a dialog with transgender children and their dad and mom reverse Admiral Rachel Levine — the primary overtly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the Senate.

Schneider’s White Home debut comes two months after she notched a powerful 40 consecutive victories on “Jeopardy!” The one contestant to outlast her on this system is present host and biggest “Jeopardy!” participant of all time, Ken Jennings, who received 74 straight video games in 2004.

Final month, Schneider acquired engaged to Davis, who was a key pillar of assist throughout her meteoric rise to “Jeopardy!” fame.

“We each felt — from fairly early in our relationship — that that is the place it was headed, however I used to be so stunned by it,” Schneider lately instructed The Instances.

“I’d recognized for some time that it was going to occur, so it’s form of only a formality, in a way. However being really engaged was such a great feeling, and I used to be stunned by that.”

After quitting her day job, Schneider now could be targeted on writing a ebook and “being a celeb or no matter.” Up subsequent, she’ll sq. off in opposition to fellow “Jeopardy!” hall-of-famer Matt Amodio within the Match of Champions, which is ready to air in November.