Johnson co-founded STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) with trans activist Sylvia Rivera. In 1970, one year after the Stonewall Riots, Marsha P. At 23 years old, Johnson was also one of the leaders of the Stonewall Riots. She was a drag performer and sex worker who poured all of her energy into advocating for trans and homeless people/youth, sex workers, people living with HIV/AIDS, and incarcerated people. Marsha “Pay It No Mind” Johnson was a Black trans woman who helped lead the LGBTQ+ movement in New York City for nearly 25 years. Their bravery and absolute refusal to accept anything less than liberation sparked a movement that needs to remember who led the charge. As Pride month comes to an end, let us not forget that the struggle continues.
Because of transphobia and anti-Blackness, these women often faced even more discrimination as they fought. These women cared for their community and fought for all LGBTQ+ people to have the freedom to live as they are. The following four women of color were key leaders in advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. While the events that sparked the fight for LGBTQ+ liberation as we know it today get some attention, we often forget that the movement was led by trans women of color and Black lesbians.
