The turning point of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement—the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City—was catalyzed in large part by trans women of color, drag queens, and gender-nonconforming individuals. Icons like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera were at the forefront of resisting police brutality. They recognized that the fight for gay liberation was inseparable from the fight for gender freedom. Following Stonewall, Rivera and Johnson founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), providing housing and support to homeless queer youth and sex workers, establishing an early blueprint for intersectional community care. Distinguishing Gender Identity from Sexual Orientation
For the alliance to thrive, three things are needed:
The modern fight for LGBTQ+ rights was forged by transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals. The Spark of Rebellion
Transgender women of color, including Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, were central figures in the Stonewall uprising, which catalyzed the modern gay liberation movement.