Avery Jackson, an 8 year old transgender child made famous for her incredible advocacy for transgender rights, has joined forces with Planting Peace in hopes of helping the nonprofit purchase a house across the street from the Westboro Baptist Church headquarters in Topeka. If purchased, the house will be painted blue, pink, and white – the colors of the transgender flag. Funds to buy the house will be collected via crowdfunding platform CrowdRise with a goal of $70,000. The house will be next to Planting Peace’s rainbow Equality House.
Avery first visited the Equality House when it was painted as the transgender flag – an annual tradition. She said when she saw it she “felt so happy and proud to be transgender.” Planting Peace President, coincidentally named Aaron Jackson, heard this and realized that a house with the transgender flag needed a permanent location. Which happened to be made available next door…also across the street from the WBC.
“The purpose of Planting Peace’s Equality House is to counter the actions of hate groups like the Westboro Baptist Church with love and compassion, and serve as a symbol to the LGBT community that they are not alone, that they have support from so many people,” says Aaron Jackson, President of Planting Peace. “We’ve painted the house the colors of the transgender flag each year to honor the transgender community, and specifically, those who have taken their lives because of violence and bullying. I was deeply touched when Avery visited us and said it brought her joy and gave her confidence. She inspired us to partner with her to create a symbol of support for the transgender community by expanding the Equality House and permanently painting our neighboring house the colors of the transgender flag.”
