Debi Jackson, from Kansas City, has been an incredible advocate for transgender equality. In 2014, Jackson spoke at Unity Temple on the Plaza (for a crowd of 200) about her daughter, a speech that ended up going viral a few months later.

Debi started the speech, “My daughter is 6 years old. She transitioned, which means she changed her outward appearance from male to female and started living full time as her true gender, when she was 4. Until that point she was quite a rough-and-tumble little boy with a buzz cut and a shark tooth necklace.”

Since then she has been featured nationally at PFLAG (she is the president of the Kansas City Chapter), interviewed by GLAAD and Huffington Post, and Tweeted at by Ricky Martin.

She has been a huge advocate at the Missouri Capitol for transgender rights. Not only has she spoken out in favor of the Missouri Nondiscrimination Act, she has also testified against anti-LGBT bills that were introduced in the Missouri Legislator in 2015. 

Debi founded Trans-Parenting in Kansas City, in which the mission is to “promote education and understanding of issues surrounding transgender and gender non-conforming children and their families.”

We are thankful for Debi in so many ways. She is an active voice for the trans community, and her voice has been powerful in talking about the epidemic of trans murders happening in this country. Thank you Debi for being a true example of a loving mother and an ally.

“My advice is to listen to them (your children). They need to know that they have someone in their life supporting them.”