Amy Schneider's Life Wasn't Easy Before Her Big Jeopardy! Win

What is a "Jeopardy!" icon? Amy Schneider! Schneider took the world by storm when she appeared on the classic game show and easily solidified herself as a "Jeopardy" great. However, the glitz and glamor she received on the show was nothing like how her life was before.

Schneider first appeared on "Jeopardy!" in November 2021, and within those thirty minutes of playtime, it was clear she was a force to be reckoned with. Winning game after game, Schneider seemed truly unstoppable. The game show contestant broke record after record, becoming the highest-paid woman on "Jeopardy!" and if that wasn't enough, she was the first transgender individual to meet the mark to compete in the long-running game show's Tournament of Champions. Schneider went on to win 40 games during her time on the show, which is nearly unheard of.

For Schneider, this has all been a dream come true. She told People, "When I started, my biggest goal was just to win four games. Not only did I end up winning 10 times as many, but I've heard from so many people, especially trans people and their loved ones, about how much it's meant to them to see me succeed, and that's something I will always, always be proud of." She has triggered a Schneidermania and has amassed many fans! As they become more curious about the "Jeopardy!" winner, she's willing to give them all the details, even the ones that are more difficult and involve her past.

Many people only know Amy Schneider from her history-making streak on "Jeopardy!" How can life get better than being a champion and making money on a game show? Well, it hasn't always been easy for the former engineering manager.

"Jeopardy!" fans may feel they know everything about Schneider, whether from the show or on social media. However, there's so much more to the game show contestant, which is why she decided to release her upcoming memoir, "In the Form of a Question." She told Today, "I shared dozens of 20-second anecdotes about myself on 'Jeopardy!,' but there's much more to my story, and I'm incredibly grateful for this opportunity to share it with the world."

While the book is sure to touch on her epic win, it also will share details people don't know about Schneider. She spilled details about the book on the "Inside Jeopardy!" podcast. She said, "So I wanted to talk about the fact that I have had messiness in my life. I, like many trans people, have done things with drug use. I've had a checkered sexual history and all these sorts of things." Despite her past difficulties, she wants the book to show that one should never be judged on the person they once were, and the struggles she dealt with in the past only led her to become the person her fans know and love her as now.

Amy Schneider is shedding light on her life before "Jeopardy!" in her book, "In the Form of a Question, with the hope it will make people understand her and others better. That said, the book is just one of the many things Schneider has used her platform for good.

In 2022, Schneider spoke in her home state of Ohio against a policy titled the Save Adolescents From Experimentation Act, otherwise known as the SAFE Act, per NBC. The SAFE Act would "restrict doctors' ability to provide puberty blockers, hormone replacement therapy and gender-affirming surgery to minors." Believing this would hurt the transgender community, she knew she had to speak up. She shared, "I'm not asking you to do anything except to not pass a ban that is expanding the government's reach, to not restrict the freedom of families and doctors and communities to decide for themselves what their children need." The Ohio bill was refined, but Schneider didn't stop there.

In March 2022, the "Jeopardy!" star was honored by President Joe Biden and the White House on Transgender Day of Visibility, according to USA Today. Schneider spoke on bills that would prevent transgender youth from various health access. She said, "They're really scary and some of them in particular that are denying medical services to trans youth. ...These bills will cause the deaths of children and that's really sad to me and it's really frightening." Schneider has become a force for good and has no intention of stopping.