• Most Valuable Female Volunteer
• Most Valuable Female Trans Community Volunteer
• Leading Trans Community Fundraiser

Gianna Christina Ramirez, 37, is a lifelong Cypress resident who proudly identifies as a pansexual trans woman. Her advocacy journey began early: at age 14, she came out as gay and founded her high school’s first gay-straight alliance group. “I was a very loud teenager. You couldn’t shut me up about the queer community,” Ramirez recalls.

At the time, transgender representation was scarce and often negative in the media. “I came out as a feminine gay boy because I didn’t know trans was an option,” she explains, reflecting on a time when trans people were rarely portrayed as happy or well-adjusted.

Her understanding shifted at age 20, when she met Houston drag icon Lana Blake. “I said to her, ‘How do you do that?’ while I held onto her arm for dear life. I have been holding onto her for almost 17 years now.”

After high school, Ramirez pursued nonprofit work, starting as a development officer for an animal charity and later fundraising for various Houston-area nonprofits. “It’s always been something that I am enthusiastic about.”

But her path was not without its hardships. “In my youth, while surviving and trying to become a stable trans woman, I participated in sex work and was homeless at one point.”

Outside of work, Ramirez has been deeply involved in the community, organizing drag shows and fundraising for nonprofits. She is now a member of the Diana Foundation, the nation’s oldest continually active LGBTQ organization. She uses her skills to help with their fundraising efforts.

“If there is something I can be helpful with, I will sign up for it. I am all over the place. I am a people person,” says Ramirez, who thrives on connecting people. “I like making everyone meet everyone.”

She will emcee a National Coming Out Day fundraiser this month, organized by the University of Houston LGBTQ+ Alumni Network, and she also worked with the Gay Softball World Series that was held in Houston last month.

Ramirez always enjoys panel discussions where she advocates for trans inclusivity. She was a participant in Pearl Bar’s Transformation panel this past May, and helped with a pool party last month sponsored by FLUX Houston, an affinity group promoting HIV prevention among trans people.

Ramirez finds hope in the increasing visibility of thriving trans people. “I care about my trans peers. I have a special focus on those in marginalized communities. That’s where a lot of my drive comes from—making sure that none of my sisters ever has to endure what I did.”

The trans women that Ramirez has met in bars and on the streets—women who taught her about safety, survival, and sisterhood—have all shaped her sense of community.

Like so many others faced  with today’s hostile political climate, Ramirez struggles. “I can’t even fathom the words to explain what it feels like to be trans in America right now,” she says. “I’ve dealt with bullies my whole life. But this moment right now feels different. It’s horrible.”

After 20 years in the nonprofit sector, Ramirez feels burned out. She is now focused on reinventing herself as a full-time advocate and activist, working directly to build community.

A pivotal influence for Ramirez was Jose Esteban Muñoz’s book Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity. “The book is about queer futurism and moving on beyond queer pragmatism. He wants us to dream bigger,” she explains.

“During these dark times, the most radical and transgressive thing we can do is have hope. Do not dream within the constraints of the current administration,” she says. “I am an optimist. At my core, I believe there are more good people than bad.”

As a youth, Ramirez never expected to reach age 40, but as that milestone approaches, she feels indestructible. After a lifetime of challenges, she is honored by her recognition in this year’s Gayest & Greatest awards. “I’m just over the moon. This is a real glimmer of happiness during very dark times.”

Follow Gianna on Instagram @messyglitch