Laverne Cox posed nude for Allure and opened up about what it took to get her to agree to it inside the issue.

The transgender Orange is the New Black star said she initially turned it down (twice), but when she thought about how it could touch other peoples’ lives, she reconsidered.

"I said no initially, thought about it, and said no again. But I'm a black transgender woman. I felt this could be really powerful for the communities that I represent,” she told Allure.

“Black women are not often told that we're beautiful unless we align with certain standards,” she continued. “Trans women certainly are not told we're beautiful. Seeing a black transgender woman embracing and loving everything about herself might be inspiring to some other folks."

She also talked about the fact she has wanted to “cover and hide” her whole life “but it doesn't really work” so she decided to embrace it instead.

Other actresses like Jordana Brewster and Katheryn Winnick also posed nude for the issue. It’s a big week for Cox, who was also named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People.

image via Instagram from Laverne Cox

image via AO IMAGES/INFphoto.com