Matching 50 Netflix characters with each of the 50 states

Alabama: Sophia Burset (OITNB)

Who better to represent Alabama than everyone’s favorite Litchfield hairdresser from Orange is the New Black, Sophia Burset?

She’s strong, finds joy in a bad situation, and remains true to herself despite the many obstacles in her way. She is not perfect, but she is trying to be better for her wife, her son, and her community. Laverne Cox, the actress who plays Sophia, just so happens to be from Alabama herself.

Sophia is also one of only a few inmates who was actually released from prison during the shows run. In season 6, she was sent to maximum security along with many of the inmates after the riot that ended season 5. But Sophia did not stay in prison long after that.

She soon obtained early release and was able to go back into the world. It didn’t come without a cost though. She was going to be involved in a lawsuit against PolyCon and MCC, the corporations running the prison, to reveal all the mistreatment the prisoners had to deal with, but once Caputo (the warden) offered her $300,000 and the chance to get out, she took it.

Sophia went through a lot of mistreatment from both the guards and her fellow prisoners but the money would give her a chance to send her son to college and if you know nothing else about Sophia, know that family means more to her than anything.

She won’t be anyone but herself as a transgender woman, but she’s also not willing to give up her family because of that either.