The City of Brotherly Love has been struck by alarming news as Kendall Stephens, a well-known LGBTQ+ activist, was taken into custody on charges of sexual assault against minors.
Stephens, 37, who urged for more inclusive hate crime legislation within the city, faces serious allegations involving two young boys under the age of 13.
Stephens gained wider recognition following an attack in her Point Breeze neighborhood, which she reported as being targeted violence because she is a ‘transgender woman,’ according to FOX 29.
“Stephens is the same woman who survived a brutal hate-crime in her Point Breeze home on August 24, 2020 in which the attacker, Tymesha Wearing pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and conspiracy,” the news outlet reported.
In the wake of her own experience with violence, Stephens had become a voice for LGBTQ+ rights. Her calls for legislative change led to her standing side by side with officiators, including District Attorney Larry Krasner, to establish an LGBTQ+ Advisory Board aimed at providing resources and support for crime victims within the LGBTQ+ community.