Is there a confluence there? How have Indigenous people exercised sovereignty and self-determination in the modern world? WebToday, historians and former friends of Marsha describe her as a trans woman. It will be the citysand according to New York City, the worldsfirst monument dedicated to transgender individuals. Wilchins, Riki, A Woman for Her Time,The Village Voice, February 26, 2002,https://www.villagevoice.com/2002/02/26/a-woman-for-her-time/. Johnsons life changed when she found herself engaging with the resistance at The Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969. Johnson grew up in a religious family and began attending Mount Teman African Methodist Episcopal Church as a child; she remained a practicing Christian for the rest of her life. She realized that the fastest way to make money was to hustle. This meant working as a sex worker; The work, due to stigmatization of sex workers, was incredibly dangerous. According to NYC Mayor, Bill de Blasio, "putting up statues doesn't change everything, but it starts to change hearts and mindswe want to honor them because they lived their truth and they made history.[4] In addition to the monuments, Marsha P. Johnson State Park (previously East River State Park) in Brooklyn, NY has become the first state park in the state of New York to be dedicated to an LGBTQ person and a Trans woman of color. Lee: Are we seeing that? Not long after, her body was pulled from the Hudson River near the West Village. Show all 45 During her speech at her New York gig, the "Born This Way" singer also celebrated transgender activist Marsha P Johnson, who played a pivotal role in the Stonewall riots. Despite her joyous personality and ever-present smile, Johnson experienced hardship. Well never share your email with anyone else. You say Marsha P. Johnson, and people who don't know, she was so about it, right, and so about the work. During Marshas lifetime, the term transgender was not commonly used. Chien-shiung Wu (1912-1997), professor of physics at Columbia University, 1963. In the wake of the raid, Johnson and Rivera led a series of protests. Willis: No. In 2020, New York State named a waterfront park in Brooklyn after Marsha. Thats what made me in New York, thats what made me in New Jersey, thats what made me in the world., On Changing History: History isn't something you look back at and say it was inevitable. Sylvia was a Puerto Rican trans woman who was also new to New York. In 2019, New York City announced that Marsha P. Johnson, along with Rivera, would be the subject of a monument commissioned by the Public Arts Campaign She Built NYC. The monument will be the first in NYC to honor transgender women. In 2012, the New York City Police Department finally agreed to re-open it, yet the case still remains unsolved. WebMarsha P. Johnson, transgender activist and urban legend, was never one to mince words. As we celebrate Earth Day this year, may we reflect on the wise words of environmentalists, climate activists, faith leaders, lovers of nature, and the youth of the world. Looking for more quotes? A progressive social reformer and activist, Jane Addams was on the frontline of the settlement house movement and was the first American woman to wina Nobel Peace Prize. STAR House then moved to a dilapidated building, which they tried to fix up, but the group was evicted after eight months. A person who was assigned male at birth but identifies as a woman. On July 6, 1992, Johnsons body was found in the Hudson River. Content Warning: This resource addresses physical and sexual violence. She began performing with the drag group, Hot Peaches. She attracted the attention of many, including the pop artist Andy Warhol who included her in a series of prints in 1975 entitled Ladies and Gentlemen. In an interview Johnson did for a 1972 book, she said her ambition was to see gay people liberated and free and to have equal rights that other people have in America. She wanted to see her gay brothers and sisters out of jail and on the streets again. In another interview, she said as long as gay people dont have their rights all across Americathere is no reason for celebration. In 1980, she was invited to ride in the lead car of the Gay Pride Parade in New York City. is a 2017 fictional short film that imagines the gay and transgender rights pioneers Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera in the hours that led up to the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City. Raquel Willis: There's this idea that because we are having an openly different gender experience, that we deserve the abuse that we may receive. At Marshas funeral, hundreds of people showed up. She dispensed cheer and joy. and AIDS, and gay and transgender rights. While it was in use during Marshas life, this term is now considered offensive and has been replaced with other terminology, such as transgender. Meilan Solly, New York City Monument Will Honor Transgender Activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, Smithsonian Magazine, June 3, 2019, Hugh Ryan, Power to the People: Exploring Marsha P. Johnsons Queer Liberation,. The group became a space to organize and discuss issues facing the transgender community in New York City and they also had a building, STAR House, that provided lodgings for those who needed it. She also reconciled with the gay rights movement that was now expanding to embrace the LGBTQ+ community. Lee: On one hand, I get tired of the trope that the Black community is somehow more homophobic or more transphobic. The riots had already started, and they said the police went in there and set the place on fire. Hey, Marsha. Hey, Luke. Note: Marshas life story includes a large amount of vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to teachers and students. The Stonewall uprising was an awakening for an entire generation of LGBTQ activists. The film stars Mya Taylor as Johnson and Eve Lindley as Rivera.. Invite students to research recent activism around the extreme violence that trans women of color continue to face. Lee: Speaking of white women, that's a perfect segue. And they never forget it. I've also been planting and reminding myself through gardening indoors, I guess, that regardless of what happens, growth is still possible. We know that homophobia and transphobia knows no bounds. And the circumstances around his case admittedly are very murky. I don't think any of us have the luxury of focusing on one group or the other. Lee: Raquel, thank you so much for your time. Johnson, like many other transgender women, felt they had nothing to lose. Lee: You know, I guess it was maybe two weeks ago now at the Black Trans Lives Rally in Brooklyn, we were actually driving home to Brooklyn and it was like I'd never seen (LAUGH) almost that many people. WebMarsha P. Johnson at the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, a protest inspired by the events that took place at the Stonewall Inn. WebMarsha P. Johnson: The way I winded up being at Stonewall that night, I was having a party uptown. What tensions existed within the gay liberation movement? Willis, Raquel, How Sylvia Rivera Created the Blueprint for Transgender Organizing,Out Magazine,May 21, 2019,https://www.out.com/pride/2019/5/21/how-sylvia-rivera-created-blueprint-transgender-organizing. When you hear J.K. Rowling saying that, what's your response to that? In 1990, Johnson was diagnosed with H.I.V. . The best email in your inbox.Filled with the days best good news. Lee: Lot of flying. Throughout her life, she fought against the exclusion of transgender people, especially transgender people of color, from the larger movement for gay rights. What is it, do you think? Immediately after graduating from Thomas A. Edison High School, Johnson moved to New York City with one bag of clothes and $15. In 2021, New York City will unveil a monument to Rivera and Johnson. So people like Marsha P. Johnson, Zazu Nova, a Black trans elder who's still with us named Miss Major were present there and were actively invested in the fight that sprang out of that moment. How did Marsha feel about this? Sylvia Rivera, National Park Service,https://www.nps.gov/people/sylvia-rivera.htm. And we were all out there. Unknown photographer, A Typical Boomer Family, ca. Subscribers get each new issue of the Goodnewspaper mailed to their home, get exclusive discounts for do-good brands, fill the world with more good news, and more. In 2019, New York City announced that a statue of Marsha and Sylvia would be the first monument to honor trans women in the city. In 1970, Sylvia came to Marsha with an idea. After this experience, Rivera left New York City and activism behind for a bit. I was involved with that.. She also encouraged Sylvia to love herself and her identity. Because as a Black trans woman, you telling me you want to abolish the police or you telling me you want to abolish prisons, that you want to defund the police doesn't necessarily put me completely at ease because I know that I could still be and am likely to be harmed by men in our communities, particularly Black cishet men. We should not be ashamed of who we are. Marsha P. Johnson, Id like to see the gay revolution get started If a transvestite doesnt say Im gay and Im proud and Im a transvestite, then nobody else is going to hop up there and say Im gay and Im proud and Im a transvestite for them. Marsha P. Johnson, Darling, I want my gay rights now! Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha P. Johnson never self-identified with the term transgender, but the term was also not in broad use while she was alive. Mostly white cisgender gay men, but also cisgender lesbians as well. We kept the building going. Johnson also became an AIDS activist, later revealing in a 1992 interview that she had been HIV-positive for two years. She believed no one should hustle or live on the streets, but she knew no other way to survive. Always sporting a smile, Johnson was an Though she struggled with mental health issues, Johnson was beloved for her charismatic persona. Her lavish outfits were often made from thrift store finds, gifts from friends, and items she found on the street. (LAUGH) Or is it too tough? Rivera frequently experienced homelessness and had problems with substance abuse. She used she/her pronouns. series. So there's no way to talk about us getting to liberation without talking about Black trans people. I think about our media outlets and how often we don't have spaces like this, Trymaine, where a Black trans woman can come on and be in dialogue with a Black cis man about the state of the world. Cooking for myself, right? So, like, what are you doin'? As the gay liberation movement became increasingly white, middle class, and cisgender, STAR reminded everyone that transgender and gender non-conforming people deserved equal rights too. They rented a dilapidated building with no electricity or running water. Toshiko Akiyoshi changed the face of jazz music over her sixty-year career. Why do you think Marshas life has started to gain more attention in recent years? That is a gender issue. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. We have been fighting to be respected, fighting to live for centuries. Raised by her grandmother, Rivera began experimenting with clothing and makeup at a young age. Willis: I think class affects all of it. Lee: I'm Trymaine Lee, and this is Into America. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Acronym for Auto Immune Deficiency Disorder. But inevitably, you are all of your identities at one time. The troubles she experienced as a child followed her into adulthood. We fed people and clothed people. When the organizers of the gay pride parade tried to ban STAR, they showed up anyway. Marsha P. Johnson. National Womens History Museum. Lee: How much does class play in all this? A lot of times Ive reached my hand out to people in the gay community that just didnt have nobody to help them when they were down and out., On Her Own Legacy: They call me a legend in my own time, because there were so many queens gone that Im one of the few queens left from the 70s and the 80s., .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Afeni Shakur. But when people are close to you and they're side, maybe they're family or people that you really respect and they don't get it, does that sting a little bit? And I didn't get downtown till about 2:00. She sometimes lived with friends. Gertrude Kasebier, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Though her life was cut tragically short, Marsha's legacy remains an inspiration to us all. If you would like to learn more about Johnson, we recommend Netflix's documentary ' The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson.' Article Correction: It was previously stated that Johnson said the quote,"No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us." ", On Mental Health: I may be crazy, but that don't make me wrong., On Distrust: I got robbed once. Apr 21, 2023. Turns out we're not there. Lee: What do you think it would take to get that kind of allegiance, especially among Black folks, right? or a search for the Black Trans Lives Matter movement. Hope y'all enjoy the long holiday weekend. "Read Stamped from the Beginning," right? Were the front-liners. She was booed off the stage. Brayla was just 17. For example, dancing with a person of the same sex as well as cross-dressing were illegal. In 1973, Rivera participated in the Gay Pride Parade but was not allowed to speak, despite the amount of work and advocacy she had done. 'Cause when I got downtown, the place was already on fire and it was a raid already. Emma Rothberg, Sylvia Rivera, National Womens History Museum, 2021. www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/Sylvia-Rivera. In 1970, Johnson and Rivera founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), an organization dedicated to sheltering young transgender individuals who were shunned by their families. The two also began STAR House, a place where transgender youth could stay and feel safe. Into America is produced by Isabel Angel, Allison Bailey, Aaron Dalton, Max Jacobs, Barbara Raab, Claire Tighe, Aisha Turner, and Preeti Varathan. WebTo the brave souls who came before us, Marsha P Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, Harvey Milk, Audre Lord, and igniting the fight for all of us. But I don't know if we'll even completely know we're in a revolution probably until maybe it's almost over, right? When they could no longer pay, they were evicted. Rivera, a Puerto Rican transgender girl, and the two became instant friends. It feels like a revolution. The Historic New Orleans Collection, acc. She was 46. Trymaine Lee: Last month, in the middle of Pride, thousands of people gathered in Brooklyn, New York for a rally for Black trans lives. Now they are getting a statue in New York, Brooklyns East River State Park renamed in honor of late LGBTQ activist and trans icon Marsha P. Johnson. [3]These transgender icons will be the first to get statues in the US It is said those who threw the first brick on 2022. A veteran of the 1969 Stonewall Inn uprising, Sylvia Rivera was a tireless advocate for those silenced and disregarded by larger movements. The first STAR House was in the back of an abandoned truck in Greenwich Village. We don't really talk about how we have our own conceptions of which victims are worthy of our empathy. Their rage was not just about the police. Willis: Right. During Marshas lifetime, the term transgender was not commonly used. The raid on Stonewall galvanized the gay rights movement. Marsha described herself as a gay person, a transvestite, and a drag queen. In 1990, Marsha contracted AIDS. However, Johnson also found a community in the city, especially after meeting Latina drag queen Sylvia Rivera. Her partner, Julia Murray, was with her at the time of her death. Marsha P. Johnson was born on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. WebIn December 1970, Liza Cowan of WBAI sat down with membersation a the newly formed Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (or S Rivera said in a 1995 interview with The New York Times of participating in this parade, the movement had put me on the shelf, but they took me down and dusted me offStill, it was beautiful. That night, police officers raided the gay bar. And that's something other LGBTQ+ folks, particularly white ones, need to understand. While there are many conflicting stories about the uprisings start, it is clear that Marsha was on the front lines. Almost 30 years on from her death, Johnson is getting the attention she was denied when she was alive, with tales of All they think about is getting up your dress, anything to get up that dress of yours. Today, a look at how racism and transphobia have pushed Black trans women to the fringe of the gay rights movement and the movement for Black lives, and what's being done to change that. In 2020, New York State named a waterfront park in Brooklyn for Johnson. Within the past week, 22-year-old Mercy Mac was killed in Dallas and Brayla Stone was found dead in Arkansas. Having difficulty finding employment, Johnson turned to sex work. How can food be used as a form of cultural memory & resistance? Willis: I think a lot of it is proximity. Who Is Trans TikTok Influencer Dylan Mulvaney? Willis: Of course. She used she/her pronouns. Marsha was part of a growing community of LGBTQ youth who sought acceptance in New York City. But in the 1950s and 1960s, LGBTQ peoples rights were strictly limited. For example, dancing with a person of the same sex as well as cross-dressing were illegal. A progressive social reformer and activist, Jane Addams was on the frontline of the settlement house movement and was the first American woman to wina Nobel Peace Prize. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Rivera had an incredibly difficult childhood. The new monuments and dedicated state park mark powerful steps toward recognizing and amplifying the voices of people who have changed history in their fight for equality, but much remains to be done. Lee: We got COVID-19, white supremacy, uprisings. The term transgender wasnt commonly used in Marshas lifetime, but she identified as a transvestite, gay and a drag queen and used she/her pronouns. What does this make you think and feel? We have to be having a holistic conversation on violence that not only talks about state violence but it also talks about the violence in our own homes, in our communities. And people don't want to say that because I think there's this idea that the biggest enemy is white supremacy, but that is a fallacy. But there's still a lot of work to be done. She was an advocate Why do you think they were so close? How can food be used as a form of cultural memory & resistance? The store owners called her riffraff and threw her out. Special thanks to Eric Marcus, founder and host of the podcast Making Gay History, for the use of his 1989 interview with Marsha P. Johnson. The story of a leader in social, environmental, and political activism and first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Oh, there was a lot of little chants we used to do in those days. She also created and wore elaborate crowns of fresh flowers. Always sporting a smile, Johnson was an important advocate for homeless LGBTQ+ youth, those effected by H.I.V. By Emma Rothberg, NWHM Predoctoral Fellow in Gender Studies, 2020-2022. I really appreciate it. She questioned where transgender people fit in. no. The riots had already started. There are many competing stories about what Johnson did during the raid on the Stonewall Inn, but it is clear she was on the front lines. Gertrude Kasebier (photographer), Zitkala Sa, Sioux Indian and activist, c. 1898. My revolutionary blood was going back then. She spoke publicly about her diagnosis and how people should not be afraid of those with the disease in a June 26, 1992 interview. After graduating high school, Marsha moved to New York City with only $15 and a bag of clothes. They were pushed out of the fight for suffrage in this country. By Source, Fair use,https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38099161. Marsha P. Johnson was and is a woman impossible to forget. She was an activist, a sex worker, a drag performer, and even a model for Andy Warhol. She was at the forefront of pivotal moments in modern history. jrotc cadet creed in spanish,