“Believe it or not, I was 8 years old when I knew I was a woman. I was sneaking around putting on dresses and wearing makeup when my parents left for work. My mother wanted to know who was this other woman in her house? Who was wearing her makeup?”
Gloria Allen has seen quite a bit in her almost 70 years. As a Black Transgender woman growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, she has seen the growth of the LGBTQ community first hand. And like the community, Gloria’s own path was one of perseverance, courage, and love.
Gloria came from a family of strong women – and she credits her own resilience over the years to the support of people like her mother, grandmother, and great aunt. These women stood by Gloria. They supported Gloria. And they set the standard for acceptance and love in her family.
“You know it was difficult in my times. A lot of people like me were in the closet, they were hiding. Me? I didn’t hide. I was fortunate to have a family that supported and protected me. You know I was proud of that, even though I didn’t need to be protected. I’m a fighter, I made sure to let people know not to come after me.”
And that fighter’s spirit has proven to be quite necessary over the years. Gloria remembers vividly the rocks and bricks thrown at her. She remembers being chased by groups of people looking to cause harm. She remembers what happened to LGBTQ individuals when they were caught by those mobs.
“Even today, it’s difficult for me to have to understand why we were so brutalized. In the city, in my community, even in my church. People didn’t talk about differences, they didn’t support different people.”
But Gloria also remembers the allies. Like the women in her own family, there were those who had the courage to stand up for the persecuted. People like Reverend Ward, the leader of her family’s church, loved Gloria for who she was – and was inspired by her beautiful voice in the choir.
“He would say ‘My Child is going to come here, and she’s going to sing for us.’” Gloria said. “That helped me get through a lot. It helped me come to terms with other people, with people’s understanding of religion. It helped me make friends, and it helped me deal with how outsiders would treat me.”
It was that love from the strongest in her community that fortified Gloria as she forged her path, never losing the courage to be herself. For Gloria, living authentically was the most important aspect of the journey. She became a pillar of the burgeoning LGBTQ community in Chicago, and advocated for people like herself.
As that work continued into the new millennium, she became a member of the advisory board of a new housing development. Heartland Alliance’s Town Hall Apartments was to be the first LGBTQ-friendly affordable housing building for seniors in Chicago, and she was proud to share her own experiences to guide its development. Not long after its construction, Gloria even moved into one of the apartments – right in the heart of Boystown.
“It was so lovely having other older Trans and LGBTQ people in this community. I do love it here. This is a chance for us to be ourselves and be there for each other. That’s why I love it.”
Nestled into the Center on Halsted building, Town Hall Apartments allows Gloria and other residents to connect with others from all walks of life, and to lead a younger generation. Gloria would see young Transgender people at the Center – and felt the urge to connect.
“The women in my family taught me to how live with power. To educate myself and be out there, and to stand up and be a leader in the gay and Trans community was so important to me. Wearing my dress was a statement,” Gloria said. “And I saw all of these young people, Trans people like myself. I felt it was important to teach these young people to use their identities as power, like I was taught”
Gloria found her way to teach that power by working with the Center on Halsted to build a charm school for young Transgender people. But her classes were about more than just formalities and dress, they were about learning to find confidence in one’s self.
According to Gloria, that confidence starts with vulnerability and love. She spent many of her classes simply listening to her pupils, understanding the experiences that the new generation lived through. Just like the strong women in her life had done for her, she knew that – most of all – these young people needed someone to acknowledge and believe in them
“Love and respect go hand in hand. You can’t have respect without giving love. All these young people would come to my classes wanted more than anything to be listened to. I listened to them. I told them what I had to go through, and then gave them the opportunity to speak their own truths. We learned and grew together. Love is the key to everything. And you have to spread it around. Spread the love around.”
Love and authenticity are strength, and few people know that quite like Gloria Allen – or as her charm school students call her, “Mama Gloria.” She has devoted her life to nurturing love and authenticity throughout Chicago, and we’re proud and honored to be a part of her story. Thank you, Mama Gloria.
