Gloria Allen (Mama Gloria), a transgender activist, died in her sleep at the age of 76.
Mama ‘Gloria’ Allen, a transgender activist who developed and maintained a charm school for homeless trans youngsters and was the subject of the highly acclaimed play Charm and the award-winning documentary Mama Gloria, has died at the age of 76.
In 2011, she founded a charm school for young, homeless transgender individuals at Chicago’s Center on Halsted, where she taught them the basics of fashion, beauty, manners, and love that her mother and grandmother had taught her.
Her life and activities were profiled in the Chicago Tribune, and she was the basis for Philip Dawkins’ smash play Charm.
Mama Gloria Allen Dies: Trans Activist Death Cause
Gloria Allen, a 76-year-old Black transgender pioneer, and activist who devoted her life to Chicago’s trans community died on Monday. Her death cause is unknown.
According to an announcement from Luchina Fisher, who filmed a documentary on Allen in 2020, stated she died peacefully in her sleep.
In contrast, Allen, also known as “Mama Gloria,” is reported to have died quietly while resting in her Chicago apartment at an LGBTQ senior residential facility.
Allen transitioned in the 1950s, long before the current LGBTQ rights movement began with the Stonewall riots in 1969 and the word “transgender” became widely used.
She ascribed her coming out to her mother, Alma, a showgirl and former Jet magazine centerfold, and her grandmother, Mildred, a seamstress for cross-dressers and strippers, in a prior interview with NBC News.
Obituary: More Facts About Mama Gloria Allen
Mama ‘Gloria’ Allen’s obituary and memorial details are still a mystery. We’ll update this area of the page as soon as her family provides further information.
Besides, Allen worked as a certified practical nurse and subsequently as a nurse’s assistant in private homes after graduating from the University of Chicago Hospital. Her involvement in transsexual advocacy, however, made her famous.
Likewise, Allen founded a charm school at Center on Halsted in Chicago more than a decade ago to teach trans children about etiquette and correct behavior as a trans elder.
Her school was the inspiration for Philip Dawkins’ play “Charm,” which was performed in Chicago, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C. in 2015.
Meet Mama Gloria Allen’s Family
NBC News lists the names of a few members of Mama ‘Gloria’ Allen’s family, despite the fact that there are limited facts about her family available on the internet.
It claims that Allen’s had a mother and grandmother. Her mother, Alma, was a showgirl and former Jet magazine centerfold, while her grandmother, Mildred, was a seamstress for cross-dressers and strippers.
She is survived by her adopted family, which includes many siblings and countless nieces and nephews.
Condolences to her friends and family, as well as everyone who was touched by her life.