Chron.com – Allan Turner – Houston Chronicle
‘Pioneer,’ 64, didn’t disguise her masculine voice
Brenda Thomas, a one-time auto dealership owner who became a leading local transgender activist, died Sunday at a Houston hospice, a family member said. She was 64.
Thomas, who was executive director for the Houston Transgender Unity Committee and worked as an HIV-prevention counselor, dressed in women’s clothing but never attempted to disguise her natural masculine voice.
“She was a longtime pioneer,” said Sara Rook, an officer of the Unity Committee. “She was not afraid to be who she was. She was an inspiration to all of us. … She was just a great leader.”