Who are we

Jennifer Anderson, Executive Director at GFS, realized she was different at an early age. Due to unavailability of educational resources, Jen struggled to understand why she was different. She tried to hide her identity, and grew up feeling lonely and excluded. It was only when Jen learned of the term “Transgender” that she started understanding herself better and has been advocating for the Trans Community since then. Jen’s lived experiences became a powerful motivator for her to want to make a positive impact in the lives of other transgender individuals.

In 2017, Jen and Kali Vogel founded a Facebook group “Trans, Non-binary and Genderqueer Network” to support the trans community online. In 2020, wanting to do more, they branched into establishing a nonprofit “Gender Freedom Society”, a 100% volunteer-run organization based virtually in Des Moines, Iowa, committed to supporting the transgender community and raising awareness within the broader society.

Our mission is to advocate for systemic change and social justice by amplifying transgender voices and fostering understanding, empathy, and allyship. Through education, outreach, and community building, we strive to normalize transgender existence, combat discrimination, and create a respectful and inclusive environment. We envision a world where gender diversity is celebrated as a core element of human experience; a world where everyone, regardless of gender identity, can live authentically and fearlessly, free from discrimination and bias.

Our Values

Message from our Leaders