Gloria Allen
- June 13, 2022
- 76 years
About Gloria Allen
Gloria Allen, 76, American transgender activist, respiratory failure.
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Full Biography
|Gloria Allen (October 6, 1945 – June 13, 2022) was an American transgender activist who ran a charm school for transgender youth in Chicago's Center on Halsted.
Allen's school lasted only a few years — she was not paid, and she often used her own money to prepare students' meals — but inspired a hit play, Charm, by Philip Dawkins. Her experiences were chronicled in the documentary film, Mama Gloria.
Early life
Allen was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky but raised in Chicago. The eldest of eight children, her mother was Alma Dixon, a showgirl and former Jet magazine centerfold. She transitioned before Stonewall with the support of her mother Alma and her grandmother, Mildred, a seamstress for crossdressers and strippers. "My mother said she knew and she knew the hard times that were out there for me, but she told me, 'If you have any problem, you can come to me.' And I did," Allen said on the LGBTQ&A podcast. "Back then, the trans girls were more committed to each other, helping them out, showing them the things that they need to know. I picked up from that and I learned a lot from the older generation, how to dress, how to socialize with them...They watched over me." Allen's parents weren't married and she did not have much contact with her biological father.
Personal life
She lived with an abusive boyfriend for ten years. Allen shot her boyfriend, injuring him, but he never reported it to the authorities. She was reportedly involved in several abusive relationships.
Career
Allen worked at the University of Chicago Hospital as a licensed practical nurse and then in private homes as a nurse's aide.
Awards
In 2014, Allen received the Living Legend Award at the Trans 100 Awards from transgender activists Janet Mock and Precious Brady-Davis. In 2021, she received the Carmen Vázquez Award for Excellence in Leadership on Aging Issues from SAGE, an advocacy organization for L.G.B.T.Q. elders, at the National LGBTQ Task Force's Creating Change conference.
Death
She died on June 13, 2022, from respiratory failure in her sleep at her apartment in Chicago's Townhall Apartments, an LGBTQ senior living facility.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Articles & News
- nbcnews.com"Trans activist 'Mama Gloria' Allen dies at 76"
- nytimes.com"Gloria Allen, Transgender Activist Who Ran a Charm School, Dies at 76"
Reported coverage of Gloria Allen; each link opens the original article on the publisher's own site.
Books & Media
Find books, audiobooks and films about Gloria Allen on Amazon.
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Allen
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 15 questions
Questions drawn from Gloria Allen's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what city was Gloria Allen born?
- A.Los Angeles
- B.Chicago
- C.Bowling Greencorrect
- D.New York City
Gloria Allen was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Source: Early life section
2.Who was the mother of Gloria Allen?
- A.Precious Brady-Davis
- B.Janet Mock
- C.Mildred
- D.Alma Dixoncorrect
Alma Dixon, a showgirl and former Jet magazine centerfold, was the mother of Gloria Allen.
Source: Early life section
3.Where did Gloria Allen operate a charm school for transgender youth?
- A.The National LGBTQ Task Force
- B.Center on Halstedcorrect
- C.University of Chicago
- D.Townhall Apartments
Gloria Allen ran a charm school for transgender youth in Chicago's Center on Halsted.
Source: Introductory paragraph
4.What was the name of the documentary film that chronicled the life of Gloria Allen?
- A.Charm
- B.Mama Gloriacorrect
- C.Jet Magazine
- D.The Trans 100
The documentary film Mama Gloria chronicled the experiences of Gloria Allen.
Source: Introductory paragraph
5.What was the occupation of Gloria Allen's grandmother, Mildred?
- A.Showgirl
- B.Journalist
- C.Seamstresscorrect
- D.Nurse
Gloria Allen's grandmother, Mildred, was a seamstress who worked for crossdressers and strippers.
Source: Early life section
6.Which medical profession did Gloria Allen hold while working at the University of Chicago Hospital?
- A.Nurse's aide
- B.Licensed practical nursecorrect
- C.Surgeon
- D.Registered nurse
Gloria Allen worked at the University of Chicago Hospital as a licensed practical nurse.
Source: Career section
7.For how many years did Gloria Allen live with an abusive boyfriend?
- A.Fifteen
- B.Five
- C.Tencorrect
- D.Twenty
Gloria Allen lived with an abusive boyfriend for ten years.
Source: Personal life section
8.What award did Gloria Allen receive in 2021 at the Creating Change conference?
- A.Living Legend Award
- B.Trans 100 Award
- C.Showgirl Excellence Award
- D.Carmen Vázquez Award for Excellence in Leadership on Aging Issuescorrect
In 2021, Gloria Allen received the Carmen Vázquez Award for Excellence in Leadership on Aging Issues from SAGE.
Source: Awards section
9.At which facility did Gloria Allen reside at the time of her death?
- A.University of Chicago Hospital
- B.SAGE headquarters
- C.Center on Halsted
- D.Townhall Apartmentscorrect
Gloria Allen died in her apartment in Chicago's Townhall Apartments.
Source: Death section
10.Who presented Gloria Allen with the Living Legend Award in 2014?
- A.Alma Dixon and Mildred
- B.Janet Mock and Precious Brady-Daviscorrect
- C.Carmen Vázquez
- D.Philip Dawkins
In 2014, Gloria Allen received the Living Legend Award from transgender activists Janet Mock and Precious Brady-Davis.
Source: Awards section
11.What was the official cause of death for Gloria Allen?
- A.Cancer
- B.Respiratory failurecorrect
- C.Stroke
- D.Heart failure
Gloria Allen died on June 13, 2022, from respiratory failure.
Source: Death section
12.What was the name of the play inspired by the work of Gloria Allen?
- A.Mama Gloria
- B.Jet
- C.Charmcorrect
- D.Stonewall
The charm school run by Gloria Allen inspired a hit play titled Charm, written by Philip Dawkins.
Source: Introductory paragraph
13.What did Gloria Allen often use to help provide meals for her students?
- A.Her own moneycorrect
- B.University funding
- C.Support from the Center on Halsted
- D.Donations from SAGE
Gloria Allen was not paid for running the school and often used her own money to prepare meals for her students.
Source: Introductory paragraph
14.Which magazine did Gloria Allen's mother, Alma Dixon, work for as a centerfold?
- A.Jetcorrect
- B.Time
- C.Vogue
- D.Chicago Weekly
Gloria Allen's mother, Alma Dixon, was a showgirl and former centerfold for Jet magazine.
Source: Early life section
15.How was Gloria Allen's relationship with her biological father described?
- A.He was a showman
- B.She did not have much contact with himcorrect
- C.He helped her transition
- D.He was a seamstress
Gloria Allen's parents were not married and she did not have much contact with her biological father.
Source: Early life section
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