This historical truth reveals a critical point: The early LGBTQ culture was forged in the crucible of intersectional oppression. Gay men and lesbians faced discrimination for their sexuality; trans people faced that plus state-sanctioned violence for their gender expression. From the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot in San Francisco (1966) to Stonewall, trans bodies have always been on the front lines.
, a Black transgender activist, and Sylvia Rivera , a Latina self-identified drag queen and trans activist, are not footnotes in queer history; they are the cornerstones. In the early hours of June 28, 1969, when police raided the Stonewall Inn, trans women and gender-nonconforming individuals were the ones who resisted arrest, fought back, and sparked days of rioting. mature shemale black