Johnson was a black trans woman, a sex worker, and an activist who spent much of her life fighting for equality. She was an activist even on her deathbed, meeting with the Empire State Pride Agenda about trans inclusion. She also fought against the exclusion of transgender people in New York’s Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act. (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries), a group focused on providing shelter and support to queer, homeless youth, with Marsha P. After the Stonewall riots, where she was said to have thrown the first brick, Rivera started S.T.A.R. Sylvia Rivera was a queer, Latina, self-identified drag queen who fought tirelessly for transgender rights, as well as for the rights of gender-nonconforming people.
In honor of Pride Month, discover some of history’s most prominent LGBTQ figures and their lasting impacts. Johnson, or become cultural icons through their work, like writers Virginia Woolf and Ifti Nasim. But it’s also a time to honor the people who have paved the way for gay rights activism, like Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Rainbow flags are hoisted high, droves rush to parades, and LGBTQ-identifying people and allies adorn their best Pride regalia. Pride is a time for celebration and acceptance.
