For Jeopardy! 's Amy Schneider, Positive Trans Visibility Is Priceless
Jeopardy! winnings, but she says bringing positive transgender representation to television has been worth even more.“It’s definitely been the most rewarding part of the whole experience,” says Schneider, who has so far won 30 games, putting her at number 4 in terms of games won and regular-season cash winnings in the show’s history.
She is the first woman contestant to pass the $1 million mark. She is not the first out trans contestant or champ, but she is the first to qualify for the Tournament of Champions, reserved for the top 15 winners of each season.Schneider’s long winning streak — the show used to retire champions after five victories but now allows them to stay on as long as they keep winning — has made her profile particularly high, and she is an active social media presence as well.On her Twitter feed, she has occasionally taken jabs at transphobes and noted that Republicans want to make life harder for trans people, but mostly she’s analyzed the game.
For those unfamiliar with trans people, she’s become a relatable face, and she reports that she’s received much positive feedback from trans folks who say she’s helped their parents understand their identity.Schneider, 42, is a longtime Jeopardy!
fan, having grown up watching the cerebral quiz show. “I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t watching it,” she says. When she was eighth grade, her classmates voted her most likely to appear on Jeopardy!
