****Pride Is Alive, a free outdoor event at Ballpark Village, Aug. 27-29***
Recent polls have shown that more than 70% of Americans now approve of gay marriage (Gallup Poll, June 2021). That's a huge turn-around in public opinion in just a short amount of time.
But when it comes to transgender people, it's more of a mixed bag. Surveys show two-thirds of Americans oppose laws that would limit the rights of transgender people (NPR/Marist poll, April 2021), but more than 30 state legislatures have proposed more than 115 bills that would do just that.
"[Nelson] Mandela said education is our greatest weapon in the fight against intolerance," says Jordan Braxton, who runs the PrideCenter of St. Louis. "I believe people are hesitant or angry or hate things they don't understand or know. So that's why I do a lot of education."
Hear more of Jordan's story here:
Jordan speaks to groups, visits nursing homes and teaches an Intersex 101 class and one on diversity and inclusion at St. Louis Community College. She was also part of a group that met with the police department to put new continuing education curriculum together on dealing with and understanding the trans community.
Jordan began life in Kansas City as Leon, but says she always knew she was different from other boys, that she was always flamboyant and never felt masculine. After years of identifying as a gay man a chance blood test almost a decade ago changed everything.
The doctor told her she had ZERO testosterone, that her hormones are female but her chromosomes are male. She was, in fact, intersex. Things began to fall into place for her. After living with that for a few years, she began transitioning.
Hear more of Jordan's story in the audio profile above.
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