Tuesday 29-03-2022 - 10:03

Transgender Day of Visibility on 31 March is a day to recognise and celebrate all the members of the trans community, but unfortunately many are left out of the conversation – especially trans women and people of colour. The reality is the entire LGBTQ+ community wouldn’t be where it is now without the efforts of trans women of colour, and we wouldn’t even have Pride without them.

 

The Stonewall riots are a key part of queer history, they’re not widely known, and neither are the incredible women who lead them.

 

Beginning on 28 June 1969, the Stonewall riots were several days of demonstrations by the LGBTQ+ community in response to the police’s mistreatment and brutality against the community. The riots are named after the bar the protests began, Stonewall Inn in New York City.

 

In this period of history, very few establishments were welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community, and gay bars were illegal. This meant that many queer-friendly bars were subject to constant police raids, which were often nothing more than a way for police to inflict violence and humiliation on the customers. This included the forced inspection of anyone appearing to be wearing clothing not matching their assigned sex, and arrests of many patrons for sodomy. The names and addresses of those arrested/charged were often printed in the local newspapers, leading to further abuse.

Photo: No pride without Black Trans Lives. Credit: Eden, Janine and Jim/WikiMedia Commons

 

On 28 June 1969, the Stonewall Inn was raided, but instead of co-operating the customers fought back: throwing bricks, bottles, rocks, and other items at the police, and a fire was started.

 

The riots lasted for five days and were mostly led by queer people of colour like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, Stormé DeLarverie, and so many more.

 

It is widely believed that Stormé threw the first punch at a police officer, beginning the riots that would lead to change for so many. DeLarverie was a biracial woman, who also performed as a drag king and identified, in their own words, as a “gender bender”. While that term may now be outdated, it was often used at the time by those who refused to fit into typical gender norms and labels. Not only did they help kick off the Stonewall riots, they were also a fierce advocate for changing societal perceptions around gender expression.

 

Sylvia Rivera was a Puerto Rican trans woman, present at all the days of the Stonewall riots. Her motivational speeches and encouragement are well regarded as part of the reason the riots were able to continue. Alongside Marsha P. Johnson, she also set up the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) group to support homeless queer individuals.

 

Marsha P. Johnson was an African American trans woman and queer icon, most known for being one of the leaders of the Stonewall riots. It’s often incorrectly reported that she began the riots, but she herself has stated she wasn’t present until the second night of rioting. The “P” in her name stood for “Pay it no mind”, an attitude she took while being a key figure key figure in the fight for the queer community, both in the riots and her other work, including STAR.

 

The Stonewall riots were a turning point for queer rights. They were the first wide scale event in which the queer community fought back and made a difference. As a result, the police raids became less frequent, and those that continued involved less violence and humiliation. Plus, exactly one year after the protests, the first Pride parade was held to remember the events of Stonewall. These parades have now grown into huge events held all across the world, that serve as a place of community for LGBTQ+ individuals. The Stonewall charity was founded in 1989, and now provides support and education, meaning that the work began at the Stonewall Inn still continues. 

 

None of this would have been possible without the courage of trans people like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and Stormé DeLarverie. But due to their gender and race, their names are often erased from queer history. On Trans Day of Visibility, and every other day, its important to remember their bravery, and that Pride would not exist without trans women of colour.

 

Kai Lambert, Trans & Non-Binary Officer