Qween Jean became the first openly transgender person to win a Tony Award at the 2026 ceremony.
Jean achieved the milestone by winning Best Costume Design of a Musical for Cats: The Jellicle Ball. The historic result connected a major personal achievement with recognition for costume design in a Broadway musical revival.
The production was also honored for its direction and choreography. Its directing team, Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, won Direction of a Musical, while Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons won Best Choreography.
This milestone concerns openly transgender Tony winners, not merely transgender people who have been nominated or worked on Broadway. It also differs from awards recognizing LGBTQ+ themes or productions; the distinction is specifically about the identity of the winning artist.