“Euphoria” actress, model and LGBTQ+ rights activist Hunter Schafer will be presenting the next installment of the “Speaking of Excellence” lecture series 7 p.m, Feb. 29, in the IU Auditorium. The event is hosted in a collaboration between the IU Union Board and the IU LGBTQ+ Culture Center.
The “Speaking of Excellence” lecture series began in April 2023 and features keynote speeches by LGBTQ+ personalities recognized around the world. The lecture series has a mission to increase acceptance, understanding and to address bias and discrimination. Grammy-nominated recording artist, “Star Trek” actor and social justice activist George Takei was the 2023 “Speaking of Excellence” keynote speaker.
In ninth grade, Schafer was diagnosed with gender dysphoria and had began transitioning treatment during high school. When she began her junior year at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts High School, Schafer was living in the all-girls dormitory and was using she/her pronouns. After the passing of a North Carolina house bill requiring individuals use restrooms which aligned with their sex assigned at birth, Schafer became a plaintiff in an American Civil Liberties Union’s lawsuit in 2016. The bill was repealed in 2017.
After graduating high school, Schafer moved to New York to pursue a career in modeling.
Schafer has played roles in the HBO series “Euphoria” and “Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.” She has modeled for luxury designers “Vera Wang,” “Miu Miu” and “Versace.” In 2017, she was nominated for Teen Vogue’s “21 Under 21” list.
Tickets are free for IU students, $15 for staff and faculty and $25 for the public. Tickets can be reserved or purchased on the IU Auditorium website.
