Chella Man facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chella Man
Chella Man in 2019
Born	(1998-11-26) November 26, 1998 (age 26) Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, United States
Occupation	YouTuber actor artist activist
Years active	2017–present

Chella Man (born November 26, 1998) is an American actor, model, artist, YouTuber, and activist. They are known for sharing their experiences as a person who is transgender, deaf, Asian, and Jewish. Man became widely known in 2019 for playing Jericho in the second season of the DC Universe series Titans.

Early Life and Identity Journey

Chella Man was born on November 26, 1998. They have Chinese and Jewish family roots. They grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, a quiet community. Man shared that they did not feel beautiful there.

Man was identified as female at birth. As a child, they felt uncomfortable with this gender identity.

Man started to lose their hearing when they were four years old. By age 13, they were profoundly deaf. The next year, they received their first cochlear implant, which is a device that helps with hearing. At 16, they got a second implant for their other ear.

In 2017, after feeling uncomfortable with their gender identity for many years, Man began a journey to align their body and identity. This included using testosterone and having top surgery. These steps helped them feel more comfortable and confident in their own skin.

As of 2019, Man was a student at The New School in Manhattan. They studied virtual reality programming there.

Career Highlights

In March 2017, Chella Man started their YouTube channel. They posted videos about their personal journey with gender identity, their life, and American Sign Language translations of popular songs. Man told Teen Vogue that there were not many examples of young, Deaf, diverse, Jewish, Asian, and transgender artists. So, they decided to be that example themselves. Man also made videos to encourage young people to vote. They talked about political issues, especially after Donald Trump visited their high school during his presidential campaign.

In May 2018, Man gave a TedX Talk called Becoming Him. In this talk, they shared their journey and discussed gender issues for young people and those with disabilities.

In September 2018, Man signed with IMG. They became the first Deaf Jewish-Asian model for the company. They have modeled for magazines like The Advocate, Bad Hombre, Time Out, Dazed, Gay Times, and Mission. They have also worked for brands such as Calvin Klein, Gap, and American Eagle.

Acting Debut

In March 2019, it was announced that Man would start acting. They played Jericho, a crime fighter who cannot speak, in the DC Universe series Titans. Man felt a strong connection to the character, who uses sign language to communicate. They talked about how important it is for actors with disabilities to play characters with disabilities. This helps to show real and accurate portrayals and break down stereotypes. Man has worked with other activists, including disabilities activist Judith Heumann and activist Jillian Mercado.

In March 2021, Man appeared on Tamron Hall. They discussed their journey of self-discovery that became well-known in 2017.

In June 2021, Man became a published author with Penguin Random House. Their book, Continuum, joined the Pocket Change Collective series. This series focuses on creating a space to talk about gender, identity, activism, and how different parts of a person's identity connect.

In October 2021, Man became one of the first openly transmasculine non-binary faces to work with a major beauty brand. They joined a team of young influencers for Yves Saint Laurent's Nu Collection, which is for a younger audience.

Art and Creativity

Man enjoys painting, designing tattoos, and has an interest in fashion design. They find inspiration from many places. This could be a Picasso painting in the MoMA or a polka-dotted hat on the NY subway.

On their YouTube channel, Man shared an art project called The Beauty of Being Deaf. This was a 3-minute video performance that promoted a jewelry collection. This collection turns hearing aids into ear jewelry. Man created this jewelry to help include Deaf people in the fashion world. It also helps to remove any negative feelings about wearing hearing aids and cochlear implants. They explained that hearing aids and cochlear implants never felt like "them." They wanted to find ways to make these devices, which became a part of them, feel more personal.

In March 2023, they released a short film called The Device That Turned Me Into A Cyborg Was Born The Same Year I Was. This film explores their feelings about the cochlear implant and how they navigate life between the deaf and hearing worlds.

Personal Life

Chella Man communicates in English and American Sign Language. They feel most connected to the idea of a bicultural identity for deaf people, meaning they embrace both deaf and hearing cultures.

Man identifies as non-binary and genderqueer. This means their gender identity is not simply male or female. They used he/him pronouns after coming out as transgender. However, in late 2023, they changed their Instagram bio to use they/them pronouns. In 2019, they specifically stated that they do not identify as a trans man.

Honors and Awards

• Out100, GLAAD (2018)
• Dazed 100, number 10, Dazed (2019)
• Pride50, Queerty (2019)
• Pride 25, Pride.com (2019)
• LGBTQ+ account, Shorty Awards (2019)
• Judge, Shorty Awards (2020)
• Hero Award, Attitude (2021)

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Chella Man para niños

• Chinese people in New York City
• List of LGBT people from New York City