Anna Kouroupou

Anna Kouroupou is a prominent Greek activist, author, and media personality who has spent decades advocating for the rights of transgender individuals and sex workers. Originally from Pieria, she moved to Athens with her family during her childhood. Her early life was marked by the challenges of navigating her gender identity within a society that offered little visibility or support, eventually leading her to leave school after completing middle school due to social exclusion. Her path toward public activism solidified in 2011 with the publication of her autobiography, "Why don't I have one like yours, Mom?". The book provided a raw and honest account of her journey as a trans woman in Greece and served as a catalyst for her subsequent work in human rights. She served as the General Secretary of the Transgender Support Association (SYD) for four years, where she played a vital role in legislative advocacy and community support. In 2015, she co-founded Red Umbrella Athens, the first initiative in Greece dedicated to the empowerment and health of sex workers, eventually serving as its director. Kouroupou’s influence extends into the arts and media, where she has transitioned from a subject of documentaries to a creative voice in her own right. She featured prominently in the documentary Me ena takouni (2021), which explored her life and relationship with her mother. As of 2024, she had expanded her creative repertoire into interior design and furniture restoration. A regular columnist for publications like Athens Voice, she remains a vital voice in Greek civil society, frequently appearing on national television and radio to discuss equality and social acceptance.