Allegations have been made against a well-known transgender activist in Philadelphia, accusing Kendall Stephens, a male-to-female transgender, of assaulting two children under the age of 13. Stephens was arrested on Dec. 18 and faces a number of charges related to sexual offenses against minors. Details of the accusations have not been publicly disclosed, but Stephens appeared at a preliminary arraignment in Philadelphia Municipal Court on the same day.
According to sources, the alleged offenses involved two boys under 13. It was reported that the Special Victims Unit of the police received reports of previous assaults on the minors in September 2023, leading to Stephens’ arrest after a thorough investigation.
The charges against Stephens include rape, involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with minors, corruption of minors, unlawful contact with minors, indecent assault against individuals under 13, obscenity to minors, and endangering the welfare of children.
Stephens gained recognition in the local community due to her involvement in LGBTQ+ activism, following a hate crime targeted at her. In 2020, Stephens, a black transgender woman, was the victim of a violent attack by a group inside her south Philadelphia residence. Tymesha Wearing was convicted of aggravated assault and hate crimes in connection to the home invasion. Wearing received a sentence of 23 months of house arrest in February, in addition to 120 hours of community service, an apology letter to Stephens, and anger management classes.
This traumatic experience motivated Stephens to become an activist, advocating for increased protection for LGBTQ+ individuals through engagement with lawmakers.
Identifying as a “human rights advocate and activist” on her Instagram page, Stephens’ bail has been set at $250,000, with her next court hearing scheduled for December 29.
