In front of a crowd at that rally for Black trans lives, she had this to say. New-York Historical Society Library. Jen Carlson, Activists Install Marsha P. Johnson Monument in Christopher Park, Gothamist, August 25, 2021. reinc: The story of a company founded by four US Womens National Team soccer players seeking to challenge norms and inspire lasting progress. Lee: Speaking of white women, that's a perfect segue. There's only one thing they want to get up your dress. Were all in this rat race together! Marsha P. Johnson, I may be crazy, but that dont make me wrong. Marsha P. Johnson, I dont think you should be ashamed of anybody you know that has AIDS. 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. They fixed up the building and paid rent for nearly eight months. Or is it your gender identity first? And it's just a reminder that we've been here and it's a reminder we're gonna be here. 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. Once back in the city, Rivera got involved again with the fight for the inclusion and recognition of transgender individuals. They were not only angered by the police raid but also the oppression and fear they experienced every day. 'Cause when I got downtown, the place was already on fire and it was a raid already. Oh, there was a lot of little chants we used to do in those days. Willis: I think class affects all of it. So there's no way to talk about us getting to liberation without talking about Black trans people. Johnson: And Sylvia Rivera and them were over in the park having a cocktail. 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. Willis: Well, you know what is interesting is we've gotta get out of this space of thinking that transgender people are having some kind of magically different gender experience. Overwhelmingly, Black people are around other Black people, right? Young trans women like Marsha were particularly vocal that night because they felt they had nothing to left to lose. And so in the wake of the Stonewall riots, there was an entire web of nonprofit organizations that sprang out of that, right? 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. And I think that we have to be able to hold that. A person who was assigned male at birth but identifies as a woman. And when that doesn't happen, I mean, you're being dehumanized on two levels. A person who identifies with the sex they were assigned at birth. Photo by Leonard Fink, Courtesy LGBT Community Center National History Archive, Leonard Fink, Courtesy of The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. And so we've got to understand that. After this experience, Rivera left New York City and activism behind for a bit. Hope y'all enjoy the long holiday weekend. Cemetery Name: Marsha P. Johnson grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with her mother. I think about the Stonewall riots, and there were important Black trans folks who were on the front lines during that queer militant uprising back in 1969 against the New York Police Department. 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. Unknown photographer, A Typical Boomer Family, ca. When they could no longer pay, they were evicted. I also think about our institutions. I don't trust men that much anymore., On the Fight for Freedom: No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us., On Her Reputation: I know people think Im a stupid little street queen out there begging for change cause theres nothing else she knows how to do., On Gender Roles: I'm very comfortable around straight men. Immediately after graduating from Thomas A. Edison High School, Johnson moved to New York City with one bag of clothes and $15. But I don't know if we'll even completely know we're in a revolution probably until maybe it's almost over, right? Apr 21, 2023. How did Marsha embody her Pay It No Mind name? And we saw just from the turnout for the Rally for Black Trans Lives that there is momentum there also. [2]Two Transgender Activists Are Getting a Monument in New York 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. WebToday, historians and former friends of Marsha describe her as a trans woman. To learn more, check out the vocabulary resource guides from GLAAD: Transgender glossary and LGBTQ glossary. 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. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. The Stonewall Inn uprising was also a turning point in the visibility of the gay rights movement. I think about just two days after George was murdered, Tony McDade was murdered in Tallahassee, Florida, a Black transgender man. #RFK Presidential Announcement w/ Shannon Joy. 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. 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 fed people and clothed people. Their tireless efforts continue to resonate as issues surrounding the health, safety, and autonomy of Black, Brown, and Indigenous Trans women are still challenged. Since then, Marsha has become an icon of the transgender community. At Marshas funeral, hundreds of people showed up. By Source, Fair use,https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38099161. As one of the leaders of the Stonewall Inn uprising, the Black transgender woman was an early activist for LGBTQ+ rights in New York City. What challenges did she face there? "Don't you got money to make?". Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, ca. And then our families, right? Even when she found work waiting tables or performing in drag shows, she still made most of her money as a sex worker. ' In 2001, she was marching in New York City Pride Parades and living in Transy House. 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. 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. With public installations already being implemented, the plan is to complete renovations by 2021. Oil on canvas. She was an advocate We kept the building going. (CHEERING). Apparently, the truck was not abandoned after all. And they never forget it. 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. Willis: I think a lot of it is proximity. Marshas life dramatically changed when she found herself near the Stonewall Inn in the early hours of June 28, 1969. Marsha P. Johnson was one of the most prominent figures of the gay rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s in New York City. A term for all trans men and trans women. 2022. And when you think about people like J.K. Rowling, and I want to read this quote, she said, quote, "If sex isn't real, the lived reality of women globally is erased." Why did Marsha move to New York City? Willis: I think that we need all the allies. The P stood for Pay It No Mind. To her, this was a life motto and a response to questions about her gender. She began dressing almost exclusively in womens clothes and adopted the full name Marsha P. Johnson. 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,. Dunlap, David W., Sylvia Rivera, 50, Figure in Birth of the Gay Liberation Movement,New York Times, February 20, 2002,https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/20/nyregion/sylvia-rivera-50-figure-in-birth-of-the-gay-liberation-movement.html. Lee: You know, I don't want to either/or it or make it too reductive or too simple. Like, we all carry insecurities about our gender, about who we are and who we're supposed to be in the world. Dissident News has received the exclusive full transcript for the entirety of the RFK announcement speech. The Importance of Dialogue, Development and Acceptance The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson. STAR House was of personal importance to Johnson and Rivera as they had both spent much of their youth experiencing homelessness and destitution. And I think for me as an activist, I take it also to be like, "Is what I'm doing even working? WebIn December 1970, Liza Cowan of WBAI sat down with membersation a the newly formed Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (or S She was assigned male at birth. So is it proximity, or is there actually a different dynamic happening there? Turns out we're not there. Astronaut Ellen Ochoa, mission specialist, carries her son Wilson Miles-Ochoa following the STS-96 crew return at Ellington Field. But then the fact that she had the energy to use her platform to demonize trans people, demonize a more marginalized group of women is problematic to me, but it's also emblematic of white womanhood. Thank you for joining the Goodnewsletter! The Stonewall uprising was an awakening for an entire generation of LGBTQ activists. The Rudy Grillo Collection, Rudy Grillo / LGBT Community Center Archive. After a boy sexually assaulted her, she stopped wearing the clothes she loved and felt most comfortable in. So you can't really say that womanhood is based in the ability to procreate as a woman. I've also been planting and reminding myself through gardening indoors, I guess, that regardless of what happens, growth is still possible. Johnsons father worked on the General Motors Assembly Line in Linden, NJ and her mother was a housekeeper. The LGBTQ community was furious the police did not investigate her death. 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. 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. 1750. 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. I don't think any of us have the luxury of focusing on one group or the other. The troubles she experienced as a child followed her into adulthood. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Darling, I want my gay rights now. If you walked down Christopher Street, Marsha would receive you in the manner of a gracious host. Life Story: Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992), Women & the American Story, New-York Historical Society. Abigail Adams was an early advocate for women's rights. Toshiko Akiyoshi changed the face of jazz music over her sixty-year career. "Read Stamped from the Beginning," right? Her activism led her to become one of the most influential figures in the gay liberation movement. Speaking of white women, (LAUGH) and as we know that white women played a role in white supremacy and have always played a reinforcing role in that and also a role in the patriarchy, right? The first pride parades started in 1970, but Rivera and other transgender people were discriminated against and discouraged from participating. Rivera later said of Johnson, she was like a mother to me. As Johnson had done for herself, she encouraged Rivera to love herself and her identity. If I can't even get the people closest to me to understand what's going on, how am I gonna get the masses to get it?" That night, police officers raided the gay bar. I will say this was a joy. [3] These will be the first permanent monuments dedicated to Transgender women in the state of New York. May 31, 2022 6:30 AM. The raid on Stonewall galvanized the gay rights movement. The story of a company founded by four US Womens National Team soccer players seeking to challenge norms and inspire lasting progress. She questioned where transgender people fit in. Willis: I don't know. I think when you're close to people it does hurt in a particular way. Soon, Marsha was attending rallies, sit-ins, and meetings of the newly formed Gay Liberation Front. They thought it was more likely that Marsha was a victim of an attack. New-York Historical Society. When a Warhol screen-print of Marsha went on display in a Greenwich Village store, Marsha took some friends to see it. There's still a lot of behind-the-scenes educating that has to happen for cis people who don't understand transness or gender nonconformity. 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 You say Marsha P. Johnson, and people who don't know, she was so about it, right, and so about the work. 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. In the 1970s, Johnson experienced a series of mental health breakdowns and spent time in and out of psychiatric hospitals. In 1970, Sylvia came to Marsha with an idea. How can food be used as a form of cultural memory & resistance? To wear clothes typically associated with a different sex and is most commonly used to describe men who wear make-up and womens clothing. It was written, directed, and produced by Tourmaline and Sasha Her friend Johnson brought her to the hospital and helped her get healthy again. Thank you for having me. I think we have to have a real conversation on how white supremacy has also plagued the LGBTQ+ movement since its inception. A veteran of the 1969 Stonewall Inn uprising, Sylvia Rivera was a tireless advocate for those silenced and disregarded by larger movements. 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. Other times, it seems like the vulnerabilities and the layer of vulnerabilities that Black trans people find themselves in are those layers of vulnerability that many Black people face: poverty, abuse and trauma. That is a gender issue. My name is Todd Bishop. In the early morning hours, police raided the bar and began arresting the patrons, most of whom were gay men. However, Johnson also found a community in the city, especially after meeting Latina drag queen Sylvia Rivera. Black trans women continue to face disproportionate levels of violence. But I don't like straight men. 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. Wells, Anna Julia Cooper were sidelined as Black women. She was arrested over 100 times. 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. The monuments are dedicated to their legacy and to share their stories for generations to come. Abrams is now one of the most prominent African American female politicians in the United States. Regardless of the true nature of her death, she was a victim of violence, including police brutality, throughout her life. 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 The full episode transcript for Into Black Trans Liberation. (LAUGH) But is her name and folks who came after her and worked alongside her, are those names forgotten, overlooked by accident, by intent? I never do it seriously. Marsha P. Johnson, We have to be visible. Engraving. Her partner, Julia Murray, was with her at the time of her death. At one point, Rivera attempted suicide. ", On Mental Health: I may be crazy, but that don't make me wrong., On Distrust: I got robbed once. In one account, she started the uprising by throwing a shot glass at a mirror. You can't say that it's about having a particular set of body, you know, thinking of the many women I know who have had hysterectomies, right? Note: Marshas life story includes a large amount of vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to teachers and students. Chien-shiung Wu (1912-1997), professor of physics at Columbia University, 1963. Willis: Right. While there are many conflicting stories about the uprisings start, it is clear that Marsha was on the front lines. She also encouraged Sylvia to love herself and her identity. 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/. Marsha P. Johnsons Best Friend Was A Fellow Pioneer,Vogue UK, June 13, 2020,https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/who-was-sylvia-rivera. Today, historians and former friends of Marsha describe her as a trans woman. The City intends to have the monuments installed by 2021, as part of a plan to address gender gaps in public art. How can food be used as a form of cultural memory & resistance? Throughout Greenwich Village, she was known as Saint Marsha. Locals admired her ability to truly be herself. The police officers ruled her death a suicide. Lot of flying. She slept in hotel rooms, restaurants, and movie theaters. They rented a dilapidated building with no electricity or running water. Episode My name is still in story. In another, she climbed a lamppost and dropped a heavy purse onto a police car, shattering the windshield. It was not easy to live on the margins. When we're talking to white people about white supremacy, we could say, "Read how to be an antiracist," right? Willis: The way that I navigate these spaces shifts. 6 June 2020. Jarena Lee, 1849. She dispensed cheer and joy. The Sylvia Rivera Law Project continues her legacy, working to guarantee all people are free to self-determine their gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination, or violence. The intersection of Christopher and Hudson streets in Greenwich Village, two blocks from The Stonewall Inn, was renamed Sylvia Rivera Way. In 2015, a portrait of Rivera was added to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., making her the first transgender activist to be included in the gallery. A performance artist who typically dresses up like a woman for entertainment purposes. Sylvia was a Puerto Rican trans woman who was also new to New York. reinc: The story of a company founded by four US Womens National Team soccer players seeking to challenge norms and inspire lasting progress. WebMarsha was an eccentric woman who was known for her exotic hats and jewelry which stood out to the public and attracted attention to her. That interview originally appeared on his show, Making Gay History. The first STAR House was in the back of an abandoned truck in Greenwich Village. Lee: And I don't want to necessarily use the word hurt. 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. During Marshas lifetime, the term transgender was not commonly used. I mean, I wish I could say yes, but Black cis folks are not doing enough. 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. And it was an impressive sight. According to her nephew, Johnson always maintained a close but fraught relationship with her family back in New Jersey. Even without lodgings, STAR provided a safe haven for people who had never had a place to call home. or a search for the Black Trans Lives Matter movement. 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. On July 6, 1992, Johnsons body was found in the Hudson River. The story of a leader in social, environmental, and political activism and first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Lee: LIVE! 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. Marsha spent most of her life without a permanent home. Rivera, a Puerto Rican transgender girl, and the two became instant friends. Lee: Raquel, thank you so much for your time. Lee: Raquel, thank you so much for joining me. Willis: I absolutely do think that there is a confluence and overlap of LGBTQ+ liberation and Black liberation. Marsha P. Johnson: The way I winded up being at Stonewall that night, I was having a party uptown. Always sporting a smile, Johnson was an On July 6, 1992, Marshas body was found floating in the Hudson River. 1893-1894. 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. In the wake of the raid, Johnson and Rivera led a series of protests. Into America is produced by Isabel Angel, Allison Bailey, Aaron Dalton, Max Jacobs, Barbara Raab, Claire Tighe, Aisha Turner, and Preeti Varathan. WebMARSHA P JOHNSON SAVES BOY Randolfe Wicker 633 views 10 years ago Trans Women of Color and the Stonewall Riots Rachel Simon 1.7K views 7 years ago IE 11 is not supported. Always sporting a smile, Johnson was an important advocate for homeless LGBTQ+ youth, those effected by H.I.V. How Nan Goldin Waged War Against Big Pharma, How the Greensboro Four Began the Sit-In Movement, Biography: You Need to Know: Bayard Rustin, Biography: You Need to Know: Sylvia Rivera, Biography: You Need to Know: Dorothy Pittman Hughes. Gertrude Kasebier, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. NASA on The Commons, via flickr, Home / Growth and Turmoil, 1948-1977 / Growing Tensions / Life Story: Marsha P. Johnson. Invite students to research the ways in which Marshas legacy is being remembered today. She also did not have a permanent home during this time, and bounced around sleeping at friends homes, hotels, restaurants, and movie theaters. I am a senior. And in these moments where we see people rising up, and we see coalition building, and we see people coming together in the name of equality, do you believe in this moment that there is a true chance that we'll step closer to the equality that folks claim (LAUGH) they believe in? Marsha P. Johnson never self-identified with the term transgender, but the term was also not in broad use while she was alive. Both women continued to be persistent voices for the rights of people of color and low-income queer and Trans communities for the remainder of their lives; Marshas life was cut short in 1992, though the details of her death remain a mystery. Unidentified African American woman in uniform, 1861. She was 46. 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. Even though these clothes reflected her sense of self, she felt pressured to stop due to other childrens bullying and experiencing a sexual assault at the hands of a 13-year-old-boy. (LAUGH) I almost don't have time to tweet on some days 'cause I'm so busy. 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 used she/her pronouns. 2021.www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/Sylvia-Rivera. 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. Hey, Luke. 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. Marsha P. Johnson was born on August 24, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Rivera said of Johnson that she was like a mother to me. The two were actively involved in the Stonewall Inn uprising on June 28, 1969 when patrons of the Stonewall Inna gay bar in Greenwich Village in lower Manhattanrebuffed a police raid and set a new tone for the gay rights movement.
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