Transgender actress Tommy Dorfman recently took to social media to address a fellow airplane passenger who made derogatory comments about her during a flight.
The 33-year-old actress, known for her role in “I Wish You All the Best,” previously highlighted an incident involving a Delta employee misgendering her. This time, she posted screenshots of text messages allegedly sent by a passenger seated next to her.
Dorfman claimed that the man sent a transphobic message to multiple people, expressing his displeasure at being seated beside her. He wrote, “I am in the first aisle of First Class. Guess what is sitting next to me? A f***ing transsexual in the midst of going from a man to a woman. Just my luck. I was hoping for a hot babe!!”
She wrote in an Instagram caption on Friday, ‘The audacity of this man so blatantly blasting off texts about me only reaffirms the choices i’ve made for myself to feel safe and comfortable in my body and spirit.’
In her response, Dorfman acknowledged the criticism, saying, “Objectively, I know I’m not ‘passing’ and I’m ‘bricky’ and ‘clocky,’ but passing hasn’t been the point for me nor should it be for any trans person.”
She further elaborated, “We are all allowed to evolve in any way that feels true, and that evolution can expand and contract. It’s always been about alignment and autonomy for my own comfort, not the comfort of others or the expectations of society.”
Transgender actress Tommy Dorfman used social media to call out a fellow traveler who sat next to her on a flight; pictured in April
The 33-year-old I Wish You All the Best star shared photos of multiple text messages she believes were sent about her by the passenger
Dorfman stitched a photo of the passenger with a zoomed-in shot of one of his texts, adding the caption, ‘Someone get your grandpa.’
Another image shared by Dorfman showed the man messaging someone named Samantha, complaining about spending two and a half hours next to her, referring to her disparagingly as a “freak.”
The recipient of the text replied, ‘Just remember, many people you love are lgbtq+ and this country sucks for them right now. Be kind!’
Dorfman expressed appreciation by writing over the photo, ‘Wait Samantha ily girl.’
There was also a response to the man saying he’d hoped for ‘a hot babe,’ which read, ‘You got one! A brand new one,’ sent from someone named Dave.
The actress captioned, ‘Also Dave (?) kinda tore w this,’ once again expressing her gratitude.
Dorfman noted in her lengthy message that the choices she’s made in how she expressed herself have ‘come at the cost of safety and comfort in the world, especially in america, and that’s not without consequence internally and externally.’
She acknowledged, ‘i am lucky to have the life i have, the ability to fly freely (for now), and even post sh*t like this.’
The unidentified man wrote, ‘I am in the first aisle of First Class. Guess what is sitting next to me? A f***ing transsexual in the midst of going from a man to a woman. Just my luck. I was hoping for a hot babe!!’ Dorfman credited two people for pushing back against her seat mate’s transphobia
Dorfman seen in a photo previously shared on Instagram
Dorfman pictured with Lena Dunham in October 2025
The 13 Reasons Why star said she decided to share the text messages and her experience on the flight ‘because I can.’
She went on to describe the passenger as ‘an alt right vampire,’ and also said ‘Samantha deserves her flowers.’
Dorfman also said she spared her online audience ‘the deeply misogynistic and revolting comments’ the man sitting next to her made about the flight attendants.
The TV star did not disclose which airline the incident took place on or provide a date.
Internet personality Liza Koshy commented, ‘We love YOU and we looove Samantha.’
It comes more than two years after Dorfman faced off with a Delta employee who she said misgendered her in a viral video.
Dorfman came out as transgender in a 2021 interview with Time magazine, but said she had been living as a woman ‘privately’ for a year prior.
