Cecilia Gentili was a versatile Argentine figure celebrated for her tireless advocacy in the LGBTQ+ community, primarily for transgender rights, sex workers, and immigrants. Born in Argentina, she spent most of her life in New York, United States, holding leadership positions at the LGBTQ HIV/AIDS care nonprofits GMHC and APICHA.
Cecilia also co-founded a free clinic for sex workers, co-founded DecrimNY, and founded Trans Equality Consulting. Her life story, marked by tenacity and unwavering dedication, leaves a lasting impression on the people she motivates. Tragically, Ceceli Gentili’s lifeline ended in 2024, leaving a remarkable legacy. This article dives into the extraordinary life and legacy of Cecilia Gentili, exploring her early life, age, net worth, family, death, and more
Who is Cecilia Gentili?
Cecilia Gentili, born in 1972, was a multifaceted personality known for her contributions as an author, actress, and activist. Growing up, she became prominent for her advocacy work on behalf of transgender individuals, sex workers, immigrants, and marginalized communities. Originally from Argentina, Cecilia immigrated to the United States in 1999, looking for a safe environment open to transgender women. As a result of her life, she faced several challenges, including undocumented status, engagement in sex work, and battling drug addiction. Gentili overcame these challenges to become a strong woman who used her personal stories to motivate her advocacy work, becoming a citizen of the United States in 2022.
With her life dedicated to fighting for the rights of transgender people, Cecilia founded Trans Equity Consulting, co-founded a free clinic for sex workers at Callen-Lorde Community Health Centre, and co-founded DecrimNY. Beyond her career achievements, Gentili left an indelible mark. She wrote the critically acclaimed memoir Faltas: Letters to Everyone in My Hometown Who Isn’t My Rapist, debuted in her one-woman show Red Ink and starred in the television series Pose.
Because Cecilia Gentili is still seen as a symbol of tenacity, devotion, and support for justice and equality, her legacy inspires people worldwide. Unfortunately, Cecilia Gentile passed away on February 6, 2024.
Gentili’s Early Life
Born in Gálvez, Santa Fe, Argentina, Cecilia Gentili was born to Italian and Argentinian parents in 1972. She held Argentinian nationality and was of mixed ethnicity. Her zodiac remains unknown since her full date of birth is currently a mystery. Not much is known about her family or educational background. Growing up, Cecilia had a difficult childhood and was sexually abused by a neighbor from age six until she turned 10. At age 12, she came out as gay, describing her mother as “kind of open-minded” and her father as “in absolute denial.”
According to Cecilia, it was difficult for her brother to accept her as her sister because she was gay. Her grandmother became the only person genuinely open to conversing with her about gender. Raised in Christianity, Cecilia attended Baptist services with her as a child. Between the late 1980s and early 1990s, Cecilia was physically and verbally attacked on the streets, as it was illegal to wear clothes of the other sex in Argentina. Cecilia moved to the United States at age 26 for a better life and a safer environment.
Immigration and Life in the United States
On her journey to find a safe environment, Cecilia Gentili first relocated to Miami, USA, where she had difficulty finding a job due to her lack of legal status. She was arrested for prostitution and placed in a male jail within two weeks of her arrival. Living in Miami for five years, Cecilia battled drug addiction, engaged in sex work, spent more time in prison, and faced a deportation order. In 2003, she moved to New York but was undocumented and a sex worker. In 2009, she was arrested and imprisoned at Rikers for drug possession. 2011 saw Cecilia be granted asylum in the United States, legally change her name, and recover from drug addiction. In September 2022, Cecilia became a citizen of the United States of America
Career
Activism
2010 Cecilia Gentili launched an internship at the LGBTQ+ Centre, working with the NYC Abti-Violence Project. She was the trans health program coordinator at the Apicha Community Health Centre in New York City from 2012 to 2016. From 2016 to 2019, she was the policy director at the GMHC, an AIDS service organization in New York City and the world’s first organization dedicated to HIV/AIDS prevention.
While working at GMHC, Cecilai chaired the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA), was actively involved in its formation, and led the DecrimNY campaign. She was also the prominent leader behind the Lorena Borjas Trans Equity Fund NYC. To help trans people, immigrants, sex workers, and incarcerated people, Cecilia founded Trans Equity Consulting. In 2020, she hosted Fierce Futures, a fundraiser supporting organizations that aid black trans people.
In 2021, Cecilia co-founded the Callen-Lorde Community Health Centre “Cecilia’s Occupational Inclusion Network” (COIN) clinic, the first healthcare facility specifically designed to serve the needs of sex workers on the East Coast. She was one of the hundreds of people detained during a protest in October 2023 organized by the Jewish Voice for Peace, an anti-Zionist group, to demand a ceasefire in Gaza.
Gentili Artistic Pursuit
Cecilia Gentili’s talents extended beyond advocacy; she was an author and actress. In 2017, she mounted The Knife Cuts Both Ways and modeled for American fashion designer Gogo Graham. As an actress, she is Miss Orlando in Pose, a television drama following trans women of color amidst the AIDS crisis in 1980s NYC. In 2022, she released her memoir, Faltas: Letters to Everyone in My Hometown Who Isn’t My Rapist, which won a Stonewall Book Award for nonfiction.
Cecilia Gentili’s Net Worth
How much was Cecilia Gentili worth before she passed away? The net worth of Cecilia Gentili remains unknown, but her community impact signifies her true wealth. Motivated by her tireless efforts and great empathy, Cecilia was genuinely remarkable. She devoted her life to fighting for the rights of immigrants, sex workers, and transgender people, demonstrating an unmatched commitment to standing up for underrepresented groups. Even though enhancing the lives of others was Gentili’s main priority, her influence went well beyond the communities she worked in.
Gentili’s Personal Life
Although Gentili Cecilia’s life was well documented and celebrated, she kept her personal life private. According to sources, she divided her time between Brooklyn and her partner, whom she had been with since the mid-2010s. As a result, only a little is known about her family, husband, and children.
Gentili’s Death and Legacy
On the morning of February 6, 2024, Gentili’s family announced her sad passing through her Instagram handle. She died at age 52. After she passed away, tributes poured in from individuals and organizations, including Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD, and Chase Strangio, Deputy Director for Transgender Justice at the ACLU National’s LGBT & HIV Project. Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York; Patrick McGovern, CEO of Callen-Lorde; Brad Hoylman, State Senator of New York; and other Pose actors, including Angelica Ross and MJ Rodriguez, all posted tributes to her.
Final Words
Cecilia Gentili is a living example of tenacity, commitment, and steadfast support. She leaves an inspiring and hopeful legacy spanning her early hardships as an immigrant and sex worker to her later successes as an author, actress, and activist. Let’s continue her legacy of equality, justice, and respect for all as we pay tribute to her memory. Despite Cecilia Gentili’s passing, her influence and spirit live on, leading the way for a more loving and hopeful future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cecilia Gentili died at the age of 52.
Cecilia was born in Gálvez, Santa Fe, Argentina.
Cecilia Gentili’s net worth remained unknown at the time of her death.
Cecilia Gentili was a versatile Argentine figure celebrated for her tireless advocacy in the LGBTQ+ community, primarily for transgender rights, sex workers, and immigrants.
In 2019, Gentili founded Trans Equity Consulting, dedicated to LGBTQ diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting. She also co-founded Decrim NY, a coalition advocating for the decriminalization of people in the sex trade.
Presently, it is unknown what was the cause of Cecilia Gentili’s death.
Cecilia Gentili’s partner remains unknown since she disclosed no information about him to the public.
It is unknown whether Cecilia Gentili has kids since she kept her personal life away from the public.
Cecilia Gentili died in the early morning of February 6, 2024.
