Grace Bacon

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Grace Bacon began life at Swartz Creek, Michigan, in 1940 [1]. She began wearing women's clothes at a young age and identified with the transexual and transvestite perspectives as presented by the story of Christine Jorgenson, the first gender affirmation patient of the United States [1]. Bacon continued to live in the closet while also living what she described as a normal high school life [1].

College and the Army

Bacon was a journalism student in college and sports editor at her school paper [2]. She went on to form a photography and videography service for the local highs school sports teams and weddings [2]. After three years Bacon sold the business to Saginaw Photo and dropped out of college [2]. Soon after, Bacon joined the Army and worked her way up to non-commissioned officer status while stationed in Germany [2]. Bacon looks back fondly on her three years in the Army, and especially the German culture [2].

Family Life and Career

Bacon married and had two children after her service but she still managed to dress up occasionally [1]. She found a job at General Motors as a paper-handler and worked her way up to manager of production control analysts [2]. She was eventually sold to Electronic Data Systems (EDS) where she served various roles throughout her years [2]. At the end, Bacon had spent more than 20 years in these roles [2]. Bacon came out to her coworkers in the ‘70s and began crossdressing openly despite chastisement from management [1]. Bacon married again in 1991 during a break from social organizing [1].

Organizing and Activism

Bacon began calling in and was a frequent contributor to Dave Barber's radio program Flint Feedback in the early to mid-'70s [1]. The program, a conservative-leaning shock-based talk show, is now looked upon as the beginning of the LGBTQ radio presence in Detroit given it's frequent contributors and topics covering the culture [3]. Bacon formed a social and outreach group for transvestites and transexuals in 1977 called Crossroads [2]. The operation was run out of a post office box and served as a place the community could get together and an alternative to the local Ballroom movement [2]. Crossroads became a location based organization that moved around the Metro Detroit area [1] 8) and is still in operation today, now serving all members of the Detroit population in need [4]. After several years with Crossroads, Bacon moved to Cincinnati and started a similar organization called Crossport [2], also still in service but still focused on LGBTQ needs [5]. She also helped organize the popular annual seminar and social weekend for transexuals and transvestites called the Be All You Want to Be Weekend, which ran for 30 years [2]. Bacon remarried and took a break from organizing between the years 1991 and 2012 [1].

Influence

Bacon's work through Crossroads inspired several notable LGBTQ organizers, activists, and educators in the area. Most notably, Rachel Crandall-Crocker, founder of Transgender Michigan who started the International Day of Visibility in 2009 [2]. Bacon was also an inspiration for Gender-Identity Network Alliance board member Michelle Fox-Phillips [6] [2] and founder of the University of Michigan Gender Identity Clinic, Sandra Cole [2]. Samantha Rogers of Detroit Invasion also considers Bacon and Crossroads to be sources of inspiration [2].

Awards and Honors

The city of Ferndale, Michigan, awarded Grace Bacon with the Good Neighbor Award in November, 2018 [7][2]. The Metropolitan Community Church – Detroit began recognizing November 14 as Grace Bacon Day in 2021, it was co-sponsored by Gender-Identity Network Alliance and Transgender Michigan [1].

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Michael, J. "MCC-D launches 'Grace Bacon Day' in honor of the 'mother of the Michigan Transgender Community'". Pride Source.
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 Teller, S. "Local transgender activist, founder of Crossroads receives good neighbor award". Ferndale Friends.
  3. Retzloff, T (15 February 2019). "On the Radio". Queer Remembering. Queer Remembering.
  4. "Location & Hours – Crossroads of Michigan". Crossroads of Michigan.
  5. "Mission Statement". Crossport.
  6. "Gender-identity Network Alliance (GNA)". Gender-Identity Network Alliance.
  7. Proxmire, C. "Good Neighbors Honored in Ferndale". Oakland County Times.

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