You know, and so when I think about the murders of Black trans women at the hands of Black cis men, I'm very particular about how and when and where I have those conversations because inevitably what is happening to us will be used in the service of white supremacy against Blackness writ large. And so we've got to understand that. The weight is heavy, and there's a lot to be concerned, sad, angry about. You should stand as close to them as you can and help them out as much as you can. Johnson, an African American self-identified drag queen and activist, was also battling exclusion in a movement for gay rights that did not embrace her gender expression. STAR House then moved to a dilapidated building, which they tried to fix up, but the group was evicted after eight months. 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. 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. Toshiko Akiyoshi changed the face of jazz music over her sixty-year career. 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. They fixed up the building and paid rent for nearly eight months. The story of a company founded by four US Womens National Team soccer players seeking to challenge norms and inspire lasting progress. Johnson is also now the subject of many documentaries. Compare the lives of Marsha P. Johnson and, Connect Marshas life story to other LGBTQ individuals within, One of Marshas proudest moments was with Andy Warhol. And I think for me as an activist, I take it also to be like, "Is what I'm doing even working? I found a little bit of joy having this complex, smart conversation with you. At one point, Rivera attempted suicide. Lets take a journey through a deeply inspiring and Shes said that the town had zero tolerance for LGBTQ people and as a On every level, Black cis folks are not doing enough to show up in new and expansive ways around gender and it's a problem. But life didnt start out fearlessly for Johnson. To learn more, check out the vocabulary resource guides from GLAAD: Transgender glossary and LGBTQ glossary. Encourage them to search for articles about the Marsha and Sylvia statue in New York City, Marsha P. Johnson state park in Brooklyn, and more. 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. In 2020, New York State named a waterfront park in Brooklyn for Johnson. Life Story: Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992), Women & the American Story, New-York Historical Society. You know, I thought that we were at a point where we were past a lot of his misgivings or misconceptions about transness. I mean how many years does it take people to see that? ", On Mental Health: I may be crazy, but that don't make me wrong., On Distrust: I got robbed once. However, young Marsha enjoyed wearing clothing made for girls. Though she struggled with mental health issues, Johnson was beloved for her charismatic persona. Throughout her life, she fought against the exclusion of transgender people, especially transgender people of color, from the larger movement for gay rights. The first STAR House was in the back of an abandoned truck in Greenwich Village. 1985.212. I think its about time the gay brothers and sisters got their rights . In 2020, New York State named a waterfront park in Brooklyn after Marsha. How did Marsha embody her Pay It No Mind name? Date accessed. 6 June 2020. Willis: I don't know. In 2012, the New York Police Department reopened the case into Johnsons death. In front of a crowd at that rally for Black trans lives, she had this to say. She brought some serious thoughts to this gay audience. Show more Show more Together, they started raising their voices. The P stood for Pay It No Mind. To her, this was a life motto and a response to questions about her gender. You know, I think about how more work needs to be done at our colleges and universities, in our Greek organizations, in our professional organizations, in the Congressional Black Caucus. During Marshas lifetime, the term transgender was not commonly used. And I didn't get downtown till about 2:00. Lee: I think people have a pretty decent grasp of lesbian, gay, bi. 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. Willis: Right. And it was an impressive sight. By Source, Fair use,https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38099161. series. After her high school graduation, she moved across the Hudson River to New York City in 1963 with only a bag of clothes and $15. Hey, Luke. no. Is it education? We have been fighting to be respected, fighting to live for centuries. Regardless of the true nature of her death, she was a victim of violence, including police brutality, throughout her life. Do you disentangle your identity like that? Here are 14 quotes from Johnson that capture her spirit and endless passion for LGBTQ+ rights: On Coming of Age: I was no one, nobody, from Nowheresville until I She was an advocate Not long after arriving in New York, 17-year-old Marsha met 11-year-old Sylvia Rivera. Lee: That was Raquel Willis, a Black trans activist and director of communications for the Ms. Foundation. That is just another element of patriarchy. Marsha P. Johnson was an African-American, activist from New Jersey, whose work in the 1960's and 70's had a huge impact on the LGBTQ+ community. Lee: Raquel, thank you so much for joining me. But the fight for protection and inclusion back then is so similar to the fight we are seeing today. Trans women, particularly women of color, were regular targets of hate crimes. Willis: No. And so I don't want to leave places, you know, coming in as the first Black trans woman to do X, Y, and Z and then have not built any pathways for more Black trans people to come into the space, to carry the banner when I leave and inevitably go do other work. 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. May 31, 2022 6:30 AM. Johnson: And Sylvia Rivera and them were over in the park having a cocktail. Alexander Street is an imprint of ProQuest that promotes teaching, research, After graduating high school, Marsha moved to New York City with only $15 and a bag of clothes. Jen Carlson, Activists Install Marsha P. Johnson Monument in Christopher Park, Gothamist, August 25, 2021, https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/marsha-p-johnson-statue-bust-christopher-park, The Marsha P. Johnson Institute, https://marshap.org/, By Emma Rothberg, Ph.D. | Associate Educator, Digital Learning and Innovation. Please try again. And the circumstances around his case admittedly are very murky. Diana Davies/Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library, By Alexandra Burgos for NPS Cultural Landscapes Program, [1] Marsha P. Johnson, a black transgender woman, was a central figure in the gay liberation movement Her father was absent and her mother died by suicide when Rivera was 3 years old. What and who does she represent and why is this important? She gave people clothes and food, even though she had little of her own. Oh, there was a lot of little chants we used to do in those days. The story of a transgender activist who participated in the Stonewall Uprising and fought for equal rights. While short-lived, STAR House was an important space for those who needed it. 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. When she was wearing these items 2022. www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/marsha-p-johnson. She questioned where transgender people fit in. . Willis: I absolutely do think that there is a confluence and overlap of LGBTQ+ liberation and Black liberation. It will be the citysand according to New York City, the worldsfirst monument dedicated to transgender individuals. We lose a lot of nuance there. We kept the building going. Lee: Speaking of white women, that's a perfect segue. [5] The parks updates will include a litany of updated facilities such as a public restroom and an educational hub. 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. And you said, "Let today be the last day that you ever doubt Black trans power.". Well never share your email with anyone else, Susan Devaney, Marsha P Johnsons Activism Matters Now More than Ever,. You really can't have either one without the other. Oil on canvas. Rivera, a Puerto Rican transgender girl, and the two became instant friends. In one account, she started the uprising by throwing a shot glass at a mirror. Who Is Trans TikTok Influencer Dylan Mulvaney? It is said those who threw the first brick on Engraving. So, like, what are you doin'? 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. Our executive producer is Ellen Frankman. Rivera ran away from home at age 11 and became a victim of sexual exploitation around 42nd Street. June 7, 1999. It was written, directed, and produced by Tourmaline and Sasha Initially ruled a suicide, many friends questioned that conclusion and suspected foul play. Apr 21, 2023. What opportunities did she find? Currently, LGTBQ+ monuments are not among the Citys public statues. The Stonewall uprising was an awakening for an entire generation of LGBTQ activists. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Johnson: We just were saying, "No more police brutality," and, oh, "We had enough of police harassment in the Village and other places." The story of a leader in social, environmental, and political activism and first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Sylvia Rivera. National Womens History Museum. Marsha taught Sylvia how to apply makeup, live on the street, and look out for trouble. MLA Rothberg, Emma. Brayla was just 17. The best email in your inbox.Filled with the days best good news. 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. When we're talking to white people about white supremacy, we could say, "Read how to be an antiracist," right? Sewall Chan, Marsha P. Johnson, Overlooked. #RFK Presidential Announcement w/ Shannon Joy. Her activism led her to become one of the most influential figures in the gay liberation movement. 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. Unknown photographer, A Typical Boomer Family, ca. In 2012, the New York City Police Department finally agreed to re-open it, yet the case still remains unsolved. 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. Chicago Rothberg, Emma. What tensions existed within the gay liberation movement? New-York Historical Society Library. Lee: I'm Trymaine Lee, and this is Into America. There's this idea that because we are openly gender nonconforming or having an openly different gender experience that we deserve the abuse that we may receive, and that's just not okay. Johnsons life changed when she found herself engaging with the resistance at The Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969. However, Johnson also found a community in the city, especially after meeting Latina drag queen Sylvia Rivera. Marsha P. Johnson. National Womens History Museum. [3]These transgender icons will be the first to get statues in the US I mean, I think things have definitely shifted in the last few years of my career. New-York Historical Society. [2] The permanent installation will be built in Greenwich Village, in a location to be determined after conversations with the community. Rivera explained in 1998 that she and Johnson decided it was time to help each other and help our other kids. The Rudy Grillo Collection, Rudy Grillo / LGBT Community Center Archive. 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. They thought it was more likely that Marsha was a victim of an attack. She was sometimes homeless and living on the streets but almost always present for decades. Original music by Hannis Brown. At the time, 1992 was the worst year on record for anti-LGBTQ violence according to the New York Anti-Violence Project. 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. Thank you for having me. Always sporting a smile, Johnson was an important advocate for homeless LGBTQ+ youth, those effected by H.I.V. The church was so full that the crowd spilled into the street. Given what many are seeing as the historic nature of this speech out of left field from the blue dog democrat, this is not something you are going to want to They were pushed out of the fight for suffrage in this country. To make ends meet, she became a sex worker often getting arrested, losing count after the 100th incident. She sometimes lived with friends. 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. Protest Leader: Black trans power matters. I think about how Black cis women like Breonna Taylor so often fall under the radar of a zeitgeist that prioritizes men regardless of your racial or ethnic background. Lee: This is from a 1989 interview with journalist Eric Marcus. Since the term transgender wasnt used during her time, she identified as gay, transvestite and as a drag queen, using the pronouns she/her. She was 46. It was not easy to live on the margins. The Historic New Orleans Collection, acc.
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