marsha p johnson speech transcript

Hope y'all enjoy the long holiday weekend. Lee: By the time Marsha died in 1992, people rarely talked about her role in the 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. Sylvia Rivera. National Womens History Museum. Unknown photographer, A Typical Boomer Family, ca. I walked down 58th Street and the young ones were calling from the sidewalk, 'Sylvia, Sylvia, thank you, we know what you did. Oops! Throughout the 1970s, Johnson became a more visible and prominent member of the gay rights movement. Rivera ran away from home at age 11 and became a victim of sexual exploitation around 42nd Street. Darling, I want my gay rights now. Then when you get pregnant or something, they don't even want to know you., On Paying It Forward: Ill always be known [for] reaching out to young people who have no one to help them out, so I help them out with a place to stay or some food to eat or some change for their pocket. I think about our media outlets and how often we don't have spaces like this, Trymaine, where a Black trans woman can come on and be in dialogue with a Black cis man about the state of the world. She dispensed cheer and joy. And it also of course extends to folks who are nonbinary or gender nonconforming who straddle all of these struggles. Cihak and Zima (photographer), Ida B. Wells-Barnett, ca. Perry, Ana, Sylvia Rivera: Activist and Trailblazer, Face to Face Blog, National Portrait Gallery,https://npg.si.edu/blog/welcome-collection-sylvia-rivera. Honey, I promise you, I'm not. I don't relish in these ideas of being the first, or being a token, or being an only. 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? 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. If you walked down Christopher Street, Marsha would receive you in the manner of a gracious host. Willis: It does hurt. Lee: I think people have a pretty decent grasp of lesbian, gay, bi. And the circumstances around his case admittedly are very murky. No matter how marginalized you are, you can still be an oppressor. At her funeral, hundreds of people showed up at the church; it was so crowded that people stood on the street. As one of few women and Asian musicians in the jazz world, Akiyoshi infused Japanese culture, sounds, and instruments into her music. Marsha was part of a growing community of LGBTQ youth who sought acceptance in New York City. Lee: Are we seeing that? You might know King as the wife of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., however, her legacy extends far beyond the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s.. 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 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. Marsha P. Johnson was one of the most prominent figures of the gay rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s in New York City. In 1970, Sylvia came to Marsha with an idea. Thank you for joining the Goodnewsletter! Police are treating her death as a homicide. 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. She believed no one should hustle or live on the streets, but she knew no other way to survive. Leonard Fink / LGBT Community Center Archive. So you can't really say that womanhood is based in the ability to procreate as a woman. Cooking for myself, right? 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." ", On Mental Health: I may be crazy, but that don't make me wrong., On Distrust: I got robbed once. We lose a lot of nuance there. Johnson enjoyed wearing clothes made for women and wore dresses starting at age five. Lee: I'm Trymaine Lee, and this is Into America. Lee: That was Raquel Willis, a Black trans activist and director of communications for the Ms. Foundation. Marshas life dramatically changed when she found herself near the Stonewall Inn in the early hours of June 28, 1969. 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. 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. I would love for there to be a massive mobilization of allies of Black folks. Not long after arriving in New York, 17-year-old Marsha met 11-year-old Sylvia Rivera. In 2021, New York City will unveil a monument to Rivera and Johnson. My name is still in story. She also did not have a permanent home during this time, and bounced around sleeping at friends homes, hotels, restaurants, and movie theaters. 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. And that's something other LGBTQ+ folks, particularly white ones, need to understand. But how are you finding joy in this moment? She sometimes lived with friends. Lee: Raquel, thank you so much for joining me. We can educate you, learn the history. 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. She slept in hotel rooms, restaurants, and movie theaters. Soon, Marsha was attending rallies, sit-ins, and meetings of the newly formed Gay Liberation Front. Willis: No. Brayla was just 17. Explore our collection of the best LGBTQ+ Pride quotes. In front of a crowd at that rally for Black trans lives, she had this to say. This video was created by the New-York Historical Society Teen Leaders in collaboration with the Untold project. Silvia Rivera died of liver cancer in St. Vincents Manhattan Hospital in 2002 at the age of 50. I found a little bit of joy having this complex, smart conversation with you. [5] The parks updates will include a litany of updated facilities such as a public restroom and an educational hub. You know, I thought that we were at a point where we were past a lot of his misgivings or misconceptions about transness. Lee: How do you move through these movement spaces that, you know, the bounds of white supremacy are still there? 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? What were the circumstances around Marshas death? 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 when that doesn't happen, I mean, you're being dehumanized on two levels. Johnson: We just were saying, "No more police brutality," and, oh, "We had enough of police harassment in the Village and other places." Despite her popularity, Marsha also lived a life of poverty and danger. The Gay Activist Alliance (GAA), which formed in response to Stonewall, frequently rejected the role transgender peoplethe majority of whom were people of colorhad played in the uprising. Describe Marshas and Sylvias friendship. Abrams is now one of the most prominent African American female politicians in the United States. During Marshas lifetime, the term transgender was not commonly used. She wanted to protect young transpeople living on the street by giving them a home. They were pushed out of the fight for suffrage in this country. I mean, I think about the early feminist movement and how people like Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Devaney, Susan, Who Was Sylvia Rivera? 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. Rivera had an incredibly difficult childhood. 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. Invite students to research the ways in which Marshas legacy is being remembered today. 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. But I don't like straight men. She used she/her pronouns. 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. Photo by Leonard Fink, Courtesy LGBT Community Center National History Archive, Leonard Fink, Courtesy of The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. series. 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. 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. "Don't you got money to make?". And that's also something that Black cisgender and straight people need to understand as well. But I'll be honest. Smithsonian Institute Archives Image # SIA 2010-1509. We have an issue particularly in media where we often get to be either victims, of course, and not alive, or we're a superstar or celebrity. But when it comes to Black trans life and death and the violence heaped upon them, it comes likely from inside the community. And so cis women are also harmed by the patriarchy, and cis women are also harmed by men in our communities. Now they are getting a statue in New York 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? Invite students to. Together, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera continue to inspire the fight for justice that has not been won. The new monuments and dedicated state park mark powerful steps toward recognizing and amplifying the voices of people who have changed history in their fight for equality, but much remains to be done. 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. 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. MLA Rothberg, Emma. The riots had already started, and they said the police went in there and set the place on fire. How do you actually navigate those spaces? So thank you very much for your time. I think we have to have a real conversation on how white supremacy has also plagued the LGBTQ+ movement since its inception. Throughout Greenwich Village, she was known as Saint Marsha. Locals admired her ability to truly be herself. During Marshas lifetime, the term transgender was not commonly used. In 1990, Marsha contracted AIDS. Lot of flying. 'Cause we're all caught up in it. The story of a leader in social, environmental, and political activism and first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. New-York Historical Society Library. In 1990, Johnson was diagnosed with H.I.V. 1890. After graduating high school, Marsha moved to New York City with only $15 and a bag of clothes. An infectious disease that attacks a persons immune system and can be difficult to treat. And that's just not okay. Looking for more quotes? Willis: And so let today be the last day which you ever doubt Black trans power. While the genesis of the Stonewall Inn uprising remains shrouded in myth, theres no doubt Johnson was a key figure leading the events of June 28, 1969 some even credit her with throwing the shot glass heard around the world that started the rebellion. 1750. She spoke publicly about it and told people she hoped they would not be afraid of those who had the disease. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. It was not easy to live on the margins. 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. The Stonewall uprising was an awakening for an entire generation of LGBTQ activists. Invite students to research recent activism around the extreme violence that trans women of color continue to face. She also created and wore elaborate crowns of fresh flowers. Gertrude Kasebier, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. MLA Rothberg, Emma. Are you Black first? ' In 2001, she was marching in New York City Pride Parades and living in Transy House. Nearly 24 young people called the truck home. A lot of times Ive reached my hand out to people in the gay community that just didnt have nobody to help them when they were down and out., On Her Own Legacy: They call me a legend in my own time, because there were so many queens gone that Im one of the few queens left from the 70s and the 80s., .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Afeni Shakur. If you would like to learn more about Johnson, we recommend Netflix's documentary ' The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson.' Article Correction: It was previously stated that Johnson said the quote,"No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us." and AIDS, and gay and transgender rights. How are you gonna support transforming our families, having those hard conversations with our elders? When a Warhol screen-print of Marsha went on display in a Greenwich Village store, Marsha took some friends to see it. However, young Marsha enjoyed wearing clothing made for girls. Lee: What do you think it would take to get that kind of allegiance, especially among Black folks, right? When the organizers of the gay pride parade tried to ban STAR, they showed up anyway. Dissident News has received the exclusive full transcript for the entirety of the RFK announcement speech. 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?" A term to describe people who wear clothes designed for the opposite sex. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Sometimes, the strangers were violent. And it's just a reminder that we've been here and it's a reminder we're gonna be here. Abigail Adams was an early advocate for women's rights. Transpeople were more likely to be homeless and targeted by police. Willis: I absolutely do think that there is a confluence and overlap of LGBTQ+ liberation and Black liberation. And then the last thing I'll say is, you know, you brought up the contours of womanhood. In 2012, the New York City Police Department finally agreed to re-open it, yet the case still remains unsolved. 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." I'm a senior and I'm a certified Johnny Byrum fan. Why did Marsha move to New York City? 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. [2] The permanent installation will be built in Greenwich Village, in a location to be determined after conversations with the community. How can food be used as a form of cultural memory & resistance? I just recently had a really hard conversation with my brother. Image Credit:Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Ron Simmons. WebMarsha P. Johnson was one of the most prominent figures of the gay rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s in New York City. The Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act (SONDA), New York State Office of the Attorney General,https://ag.ny.gov/civil-rights/sonda-brochure. That is a gender issue. Date accessed. I don't think any of us have the luxury of focusing on one group or the other. 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. Almost 30 years on from her death, Johnson is getting the attention she was denied when she was alive, with tales of New York State still persecuted gay people and frequently criminalized their activities and presence. New-York Historical Society. That is just another element of patriarchy. 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 for having me. 6 June 2020. When it comes to transgender issues, I don't think people fully understand. To honor Johnsons life, public art will be included and interpretive park signage throughout the park will share her story. I also think about our institutions.

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