So thank you very much for your time. What tensions existed within the gay liberation movement? 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. And I think that we do a disservice by allowing folks who lead Black liberation movements to envision liberation as contingent on one identity or one experience. Image Credit:Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Ron Simmons. Johnson adored wearing colorful, fun outfits that she made from finds at thrift stores and discarded items; she was also often seen wearing a crown of flowers. But in this moment, in the fight for trans equality, is it more important to grow allies in the Black community or allies with other women? But the fight for protection and inclusion back then is so similar to the fight we are seeing today. I've been around them for years, from working the streets. Willis: No. She noted that many people had to die in order for two statues to be erected. And we were all out there. Marsha P. Johnson was one of the most prominent figures of the gay rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s in New York City. (LAUGH) I almost don't have time to tweet on some days 'cause I'm so busy. Lee: We got COVID-19, white supremacy, uprisings. Willis: I absolutely do think that there is a confluence and overlap of LGBTQ+ liberation and Black liberation. New-York Historical Society. Nicols Enrquez de Vargas (artist), Portrait of Sor Juana Ins de la Cruz, ca. We are a movement. 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. Religious Experience and Journal of Mrs. Jarena Lee: giving an account of her call to preach the gospel, frontispiece. Hope y'all enjoy the long holiday weekend. Gertrude Kasebier (photographer), Zitkala Sa, Sioux Indian and activist, c. 1898. (LAUGH) Or is it too tough? 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. As he entered activism, community organizing, and politics, Milk became known as a champion of the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, minorities, immigrants, women, and children. Thank you for joining the Goodnewsletter! They fixed up the building and paid rent for nearly eight months. WebMarsha P. Search streaming video, audio, and text content for academic, public, and K-12 institutions. On multiple occasions, clients pulled guns on Marsha. Is it a dropping of ego? You know, when I had this recent conversation with my brother, I left the conversation, you know, I was angry and I was tearful 'cause it does hurt. This video was created by the New-York Historical Society Teen Leaders in collaboration with the Untold project. WebMarsha P. Johnson was one of the most prominent figures of the gay rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s in New York City. How are you gonna support transforming our families, having those hard conversations with our elders? Marsha P. Johnson was a proud and outspoken member of the LGBTQ+ community before it was popular to be so. The Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act (SONDA), New York State Office of the Attorney General,https://ag.ny.gov/civil-rights/sonda-brochure. Particularly as a Black trans woman, I'm dealing with the dual history of trans women not being seen as women enough but also Black women. Johnson is also now the subject of many documentaries. As the officers began to arrest people for violating various discriminatory laws, the patrons of the Stonewall fought back. But inevitably, you are all of your identities at one time. 6 June 2020. Even without lodgings, STAR provided a safe haven for people who had never had a place to call home. Willis: Right. No quote encapsulates .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Marsha P. Johnson more than Pay It No Mind. After all, thats what she said her middle initial stood for. Ask them to think about the kind of monument or memorial they would want to create for Marsha, based on her life story. Thank you. Sewall Chan, Marsha P. Johnson, Overlooked. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Assigned male at birth, Johnson grew upin an African American, working-class family. New-York Historical Society Library. She was sometimes homeless and living on the streets but almost always present for decades. History isnt something you look back at and say it was inevitable, it happens because people make decisions that are sometimes very impulsive and of the moment, but those moments are cumulative realities. Marsha P. Johnson, How many years has it taken people to realize that we are all brothers and sisters and human beings in the human race? And it's not just Black trans women. I walked down 58th Street and the young ones were calling from the sidewalk, 'Sylvia, Sylvia, thank you, we know what you did. The final bill passed in 2002 and prevents discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, credit, and the exercise of civil rights.. WebIn December 1970, Liza Cowan of WBAI sat down with membersation a the newly formed Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (or S And when that doesn't happen, I mean, you're being dehumanized on two levels. Johnson: And Sylvia Rivera and them were over in the park having a cocktail. She believed no one should hustle or live on the streets, but she knew no other way to survive. 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/. In 2021, New York City will unveil a monument to Rivera and Johnson. Lee: What do you think it would take to get that kind of allegiance, especially among Black folks, right? In June of 2019, just as New York City was entering their month of Pride celebrations, the City announced its plans to build two monuments honoring the late Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera for their lifelong commitment to ending oppression for marginalized communities. Honey, I promise you, I'm not. But I don't like straight men. But the impact of STAR had already been felt by many. Lee: I think people have a pretty decent grasp of lesbian, gay, bi. Lee: Black trans women in particular have been an important of the gay rights movement since the Stonewall uprising in 1969 in New York City. One morning, they returned to the truck just as it was pulling away with STAR residents sleeping inside. Invite students to research recent activism around the extreme violence that trans women of color continue to face. May 31, 2022 6:30 AM. It was about the oppression and fear they felt every single day. She wanted to protect young transpeople living on the street by giving them a home. It happens because people make decisions that are sometimes very impulsive and of the moment, but those moments are cumulative realities., On Equality: How many years has it taken people to realize that we are all brothers and sisters and human beings in the human race?, On Motivation: Darling, I want my gay rights now. I don't relish in these ideas of being the first, or being a token, or being an only. Is there a confluence there? 1893-1894. 'Cause it's like you're only cherished if you're dead, or you're only cherished if you can be in the spotlight and in some ways serve this desire of a cis person for you to be a spectacle, right, so they can add another layer of distance to you. She was the fifth of seven children born to Malcolm Michaels Sr. and Alberta Claiborne. But how are you finding joy in this moment? Their rage was not just about the police. Nearly 24 young people called the truck home. Soon, Marsha was attending rallies, sit-ins, and meetings of the newly formed Gay Liberation Front. (LAUGH) But is her name and folks who came after her and worked alongside her, are those names forgotten, overlooked by accident, by intent? Describe Marshas and Sylvias friendship. Oportunidades Iguales Para Las Mujeres En El Trabajo y La Educaccion, Womens Strike for Equality, New York, Fifth Avenue, 1970, Eugene Gordon photograph collection, 1970-1990. A monument dedicated to Marsha P Johnson, the late African-American transgender activist and pioneer, will be unveiled in New York in 2021. Lee: Marsha P. Johnson was one of those women. She sometimes lived with friends. Always sporting a smile, Johnson was an important advocate for homeless LGBTQ+ youth, those effected by H.I.V. 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. I really appreciate it. Marsha spent most of her life without a permanent home. Marsha P Johnson, born 24 August, 1945, holds a special place within the LGBTQ+ community for her larger-than-life spirit and trans rights activism. You may wish to start with a screening of. It will be the citysand according to New York City, the worldsfirst monument dedicated to transgender individuals. How do you actually navigate those spaces? I never do it seriously. Marsha P. Johnson, We have to be visible. Dissident News has received the exclusive full transcript for the entirety of the RFK announcement speech. Johnson became known as much for her activism as for her attention-grabbing wardrobe, often complete with red plastic heels, colorful wigs and flowers and fruit in her hair. We have been fighting to be respected, fighting to live for centuries. Rivera frequently experienced homelessness and had problems with substance abuse. Marsha P. Johnson was born on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. What opportunities did she find? Looking for more quotes? Rivera said in an interview in 2001 that while she did not throw the first Molotov cocktail at the police (a long-enduring myth), she did throw the second. After a boy sexually assaulted her, she stopped wearing the clothes she loved and felt most comfortable in. She took on the name "Black Marsha," and eventually added on her famous middle initial and took her last name from a Howard Johnson restaurant she frequented. By Emma Rothberg, NWHM Predoctoral Fellow in Gender Studies, 2020-2022. Not long after moving to New York, then 17-year-old Johnson met 11-year-old Sylvia Rivera. Willis: I think it's all of the above. But when it comes to this kind of allyship, especially when we're talking about Black people, right, what does it take? MLA Rothberg, Emma. University of Chicago Library, Special Collections Research Center. You say Marsha P. Johnson, and people who don't know, she was so about it, right, and so about the work. And so cis women are also harmed by the patriarchy, and cis women are also harmed by men in our communities. And that's also something that Black cisgender and straight people need to understand as well. She grabbed the microphone anyway, telling the spectators and other marchers, If it wasnt for the drag queen, there would be no gay liberation movement. 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. Explore our collection of the best LGBTQ+ Pride quotes. Along with Marsha P. Johnson, Rivera started the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) around 1971. The story of a company founded by four US Womens National Team soccer players seeking to challenge norms and inspire lasting progress. 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. WebMarsha was a fixture in the West Village, known and adored by everybody. 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. And I think for me as an activist, I take it also to be like, "Is what I'm doing even working? Who Is Trans TikTok Influencer Dylan Mulvaney? The two became instant friends. Rivera had an incredibly difficult childhood. 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 know that homophobia and transphobia knows no bounds. She was an advocate for drag queens, people of color, and transgender people, fighting for their right to be seen and heard.. An acronym that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer and is an umbrella term for the community of people whose gender and sexual identities exist outside of heteronormative expectations. The weight is heavy, and there's a lot to be concerned, sad, angry about. Willis: Of course. At Marshas funeral, hundreds of people showed up. 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? I feel like what fuels a lot of the violence that may happen from Black men towards Black women comes from an innate feeling of not being man enough for whatever reason. Though she struggled with mental health issues, Johnson was beloved for her charismatic persona. As they watched their kids jump from a moving truck, Marsha and Sylvia realized they needed a real home. In the 1970s, Johnson experienced a series of mental health breakdowns and spent time in and out of psychiatric hospitals. Much of Marshas life story has been pieced together through interviews featured in the documentary. My name is Todd Bishop. What is it, do you think? Lee: I always wonder, and I had been a police reporter for a long time, so I've covered all kinds of crimes. And yet we have to contend with the fact that even if there was a clear story, which there rarely is for any victim, particularly if you're Black, he would not have gotten any more attention from most people because people have a bias against trans folks. It was difficult for Marsha to find work. Trans women, particularly women of color, were regular targets of hate crimes. Episode WebHappy Birthday, Marsha! Chapultepec Castle, Mexico City. In 2012, the New York Police Department reopened the case into Johnsons death. 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. Emma Rothberg, Sylvia Rivera, National Womens History Museum, 2021. According to her nephew, Johnson always maintained a close but fraught relationship with her family back in New Jersey. And it's just a reminder that we've been here and it's a reminder we're gonna be here. However, Johnson also found a community in the city, especially after meeting Latina drag queen Sylvia Rivera. The first pride parades started in 1970, but Rivera and other transgender people were discriminated against and discouraged from participating. Marsha P. Johnson was a proud and outspoken member of the LGBTQ+ community before it was popular to be so. 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. Currently, LGTBQ+ monuments are not among the Citys public statues. Abigail Adams was an early advocate for women's rights. Something went wrong while submitting the form. But I'll be honest. Invite students to research the ways in which Marshas legacy is being remembered today. What was Marshas role in the Stonewall uprising, and how did it shape the rest of her life? When they could no longer pay, they were evicted. For example, dancing with a person of the same sex as well as cross-dressing were illegal. To celebrate Pride month and to honor the current protests in our country, here are nine of Marsha P. Johnson's most timeless quotes. A heads up: some of the fan-made artwork is available for purchase and goes towards a good cause. RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU "I was no one, nobody, from Nowheresville, until I became a drag queen." A performance artist who typically dresses up like a woman for entertainment purposes. She dispensed cheer and joy. Within the past week, 22-year-old Mercy Mac was killed in Dallas and Brayla Stone was found dead in Arkansas. Since then, Marsha has become an icon of the transgender community. We kept the building going. As the fifth of seven children of a General Motors assembly line worker and a housekeeper, Johnson was about five years old when she began wearing dresses, but was often harassed by other children. It's not entirely different from how women and girls of all experiences face not being seen as competent, intelligent, brilliant, and capability of leadership. She actively spoke out about the transphobia in the early gay rights movement. In 1963, Rivera met Marsha P. Johnson and it changed her life. Hey, Luke. We lose a lot of nuance there. And so in the wake of the Stonewall riots, there was an entire web of nonprofit organizations that sprang out of that, right? She also reconciled with the gay rights movement that was now expanding to embrace the LGBTQ+ community. especially the women. You can't say that it's about having a particular set of chromosomes.

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