Trans Actor Scott Turner Schofield Has Had Several 'Historic Firsts.' Here's Why He Doesn't 'Believe' in Them (Exclusive) 

Scott Turner Schofield isn’t willing successful being known for his “historic firsts.”

The trans character and activistic precocious said exclusively to PEOPLE astir why he bristles against definite labels erstwhile it comes to trans-related achievements.

“I’m known for these 'historic firsts,’ “ he explains. “The first retired trans character connected daytime TV, nan first retired trans man nominated for an Emmy for acting.”

“But nan much I study history — erstwhile group had nan aforesaid identities but had to unrecorded them otherwise — nan little I judge successful nan mythology of 'firsts,’ ” he adds.

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The character besides said astir being considered portion of nan “transgender tipping point,” a building that refers to a constituent successful our civilization erstwhile trans group began to person practice successful mainstream media.

“Being portion of nan transgender tipping constituent successful intermezo isn’t astir being 'the first,' it’s astir making judge location won't beryllium a last,” he tells PEOPLE. “And correct now, that’s successful existent danger. LGBTQ+ character counts are shrinking connected surface — trans characters moreover much truthful — astatine nan nonstop infinitesimal we request stories that grow our humanity.”

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Schofield, who became nan first openly trans character to look successful a soap opera erstwhile he was formed arsenic Nick on The Bold and nan Beautiful in 2015, besides said he thinks that daytime tv deserves much in installments for positively influencing societal change.

“Peppermint conscionable had a groundbreaking trans wedding connected Netflix’s Survival of nan Thickest — and I cheered. I emotion her and each she does. But we did that connected The Bold and nan Beautiful 10 years ago,” he says. 

“Back then, it was a cis character playing Maya, nan trans bride. But nan show did its portion to alteration really Hollywood told trans stories," he continues. "They brought maine successful — an really trans character — to play her champion friend, officiate her matrimony and crushed nan communicative successful truth.”

“Now that storyline has been syndicated to complete 33 cardinal group worldwide,” he adds. “Not influencers — grandmas, immigrants learning English betwixt shifts, group who don’t watch everything online. And to me, arsenic an actor-activist, that’s nan astir important assemblage you could dream for: nan group who return portion successful [real-life] communities, nan group who raise nan adjacent generation.”

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The Emmy-nominated Studio City character went connected to opportunity that he hopes much of nan intermezo manufacture takes statement of nan lessons that tin beryllium learned from nan soap opera world.

“Soap operas person ever known that nan astir compelling stories are nan ones society’s still wrestling with. Throw successful a bizarre emotion triangle and a civilized dilemma, and you’ve sewage nan look that’s kept immoderate soaps rolling for complete 50 years,” he says.

“For nan liking of my organization — and honestly, for nan liking of tv itself — I dream much producers and execs find nan courage that soaps person ever had to show analyzable stories astir very different people," he adds. "At this point, it’s not conscionable activism. It’s bully business sense."

In summation to acting, Schofield, who calls himself an “accidental activist,” has written respective books and serves arsenic a advisor connected the show Euphoria to thief guarantee that nan trans acquisition is represented accurately and without stereotypes.

While speaking to PEOPLE successful 2020, he said that he hopes that 1 day, trans acceptance will beryllium truthful normalized that he won’t consciousness nan request to talk astir trans issues successful summation to surviving his mundane life.

“Maybe someday I'll beryllium capable to conscionable beryllium nan feline I americium and spot what that's for illustration each by itself,” he said astatine nan time.