Les bian ▁Request ▁Den ied " ▁received ▁w ides p read ▁acc laim ▁from ▁critics , ▁who ▁pra ised ▁the ▁episode ▁for ▁the ▁performances ▁of ▁C ox ▁and ▁Ad uba , ▁and ▁for ▁its ▁respect ful ▁and ▁nu anced ▁treatment ▁of ▁a ▁trans gender ▁character , ▁especially ▁in ▁comparison ▁to ▁television ' s ▁treatment ▁of ▁the ▁trans gender ▁community ▁in ▁the ▁past . ▁For ▁the ▁episode , ▁Ad uba ▁and ▁C ox ▁both ▁received ▁nomin ations ▁for ▁the ▁Prim etime ▁Em my ▁Award ▁for ▁Out standing ▁Gu est ▁Act ress ▁in ▁a ▁Com edy ▁Series , ▁the ▁former ▁winning ▁the ▁award , ▁while ▁F oster ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁the ▁Prim etime ▁Em my ▁Award ▁for ▁Out standing ▁Direct ing ▁for ▁a ▁Com edy ▁Series . ▁C ox ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁( and ▁to ▁date , ▁only ) ▁trans gender ▁actor ▁to ▁be ▁nominated ▁for ▁an ▁acting ▁award ▁at ▁the ▁Em mys . ▁ ▁Plot ▁In ▁flash back s , ▁Soph ia ▁Bur set ▁( La ver ne ▁C ox ), ▁formerly ▁Marcus ▁( M ▁L amar ), ▁a ▁fire fig h ter , ▁pays ▁for ▁her ▁sexual ▁re ass ignment ▁surg ery ▁by ▁ste aling ▁credit ▁card ▁information ▁from ▁fire - w reck ed ▁houses . ▁Soph ia ' s ▁wife , ▁Cry stal ▁( T anya ▁Wright ), ▁while ▁una ware ▁of ▁Soph ia ' s ▁cr imes , ▁fully ▁supports ▁her ▁transition , ▁although ▁she ▁requests ▁that ▁Soph ia ▁keep ▁her ▁pen is ▁so ▁that ▁they ▁can ▁continue ▁to ▁have ▁sex