Transcript: Into Black Trans Liberation - MSNBC.com Having difficulty finding employment, Johnson turned to sex work. WebMarsha was a fixture in the West Village, known and adored by everybody. The riots had already started, and they said the police went in there and set the place on fire. I just recently had a really hard conversation with my brother. 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. 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. Hey, Marsha. Johnson enjoyed wearing clothes made for women and wore dresses starting at age five. She was an advocate Thank you for having me. Note: Marshas life story includes a large amount of vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to teachers and students. You say Marsha P. Johnson, and people who don't know, she was so about it, right, and so about the work. Along with Marsha P. Johnson, Rivera started the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) around 1971. She remains one of the most recognized and admired LGBTQ+ advocates. AMERICAN IDENTITY AND CITIZENSHIP; ACTIVISM AND SOCIAL CHANGE, Major support for Women & the American Story provided by, Lead support for New-York Historicals teacher programs provided by, In 1975, artist Andy Warhol crossed paths with Marsha and photographed her for his. Police are treating her death as a homicide. New-York Historical Society Library. No quote encapsulates .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Marsha P. Johnson more than Pay It No Mind. After all, thats what she said her middle initial stood for. Lee: Speaking of white women, that's a perfect segue. You may wish to start with a screening of. Oportunidades Iguales Para Las Mujeres En El Trabajo y La Educaccion, Womens Strike for Equality, New York, Fifth Avenue, 1970, Eugene Gordon photograph collection, 1970-1990. If you walked down Christopher Street, Marsha would receive you in the manner of a gracious host. 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. When a Warhol screen-print of Marsha went on display in a Greenwich Village store, Marsha took some friends to see it. Raised by her grandmother, Rivera began experimenting with clothing and makeup at a young age. Their tireless efforts continue to resonate as issues surrounding the health, safety, and autonomy of Black, Brown, and Indigenous Trans women are still challenged. Black trans lives matter. But how are you finding joy in this moment? I think about just two days after George was murdered, Tony McDade was murdered in Tallahassee, Florida, a Black transgender man. She was the fifth of seven children born to Malcolm Michaels Sr. and Alberta Claiborne. Marsha described When the organizers of the gay pride parade tried to ban STAR, they showed up anyway. And it was an impressive sight. 12 Best Marsha P. Johnson Quotes About LGBTQ+ Rights - Good As he entered activism, community organizing, and politics, Milk became known as a champion of the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, minorities, immigrants, women, and children. Not long after moving to New York, then 17-year-old Johnson met 11-year-old Sylvia Rivera. She said in a 1989 interview that, Before gay rights, before the Stonewall, I was involved in the Black Liberation movement, the peace movementI felt I had the time and I knew that I had to do something. Lee: I want to ask you though. But when it comes to Black trans life and death and the violence heaped upon them, it comes likely from inside the community. Regardless of the true nature of her death, she was a victim of violence, including police brutality, throughout her life. And so in the wake of the Stonewall riots, there was an entire web of nonprofit organizations that sprang out of that, right? But I'll be honest. 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. I think when you're close to people it does hurt in a particular way. 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. But I don't like straight men. She also encouraged Sylvia to love herself and her identity. But inevitably, you are all of your identities at one time. The first pride parades started in 1970, but Rivera and other transgender people were discriminated against and discouraged from participating. Johnson: And Sylvia Rivera and them were over in the park having a cocktail. Who Is Trans TikTok Influencer Dylan Mulvaney? Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. 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. Rivera ran away from home at age 11 and became a victim of sexual exploitation around 42nd Street. Lee: The two became instant friends. I'm Trymaine Lee. The story of a company founded by four US Womens National Team soccer players seeking to challenge norms and inspire lasting progress. You know, we need the community organizers, and activists, and all those types of stories as well, and we don't often get that. Steve Lickteig is executive producer of audio. Are you Black first? 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? Show all 45 During her speech at her New York gig, the "Born This Way" singer also celebrated transgender activist Marsha P Johnson, who played a pivotal role in the Stonewall riots. 1893-1894. We have been fighting to be respected, fighting to live for centuries. Once, she was even shot. 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. Throughout the 1970s, Johnson became a more visible and prominent member of the gay rights movement. Marsha described herself as a gay person, a transvestite, and a drag queen. Cooking for myself, right? Alexander Street is an imprint of ProQuest that promotes teaching, research, I think some people try to. Abigail Adams was an early advocate for women's rights. Rivera, a Puerto Rican transgender girl, and the two became instant friends. WebToday, historians and former friends of Marsha describe her as a trans woman. Protest Leader: Black trans power matters. University of Chicago Library, Special Collections Research Center. I mean, I think things have definitely shifted in the last few years of my career. She wanted to protect young transpeople living on the street by giving them a home. Willis: I don't know. A term to describe people who wear clothes designed for the opposite sex. 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. Or is it your gender identity first? We kept the building going. Immediately after graduating from Thomas A. Edison High School, Johnson moved to New York City with one bag of clothes and $15. Darling, I want my gay rights now. Please try again. Happy Birthday, Marsha Lee: Raquel, thank you so much for your time. And from those earliest days, people had concerns about Black folks, brown folks, people who are incarcerated, and of course trans people because we were seen as not in line with some of the assimilationist goals of many of those early movement figures. Lee: We got COVID-19, white supremacy, uprisings. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. My name is Todd Bishop. She noted that many people had to die in order for two statues to be erected. Trans women, particularly women of color, were regular targets of hate crimes. [2] The permanent installation will be built in Greenwich Village, in a location to be determined after conversations with the community. WebTo the brave souls who came before us, Marsha P Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, Harvey Milk, Audre Lord, and igniting the fight for all of us. I found a little bit of joy having this complex, smart conversation with you. Marsha P. Johnson was and is a woman impossible to forget. She was an activist, a sex worker, a drag performer, and even a model for Andy Warhol. She was at the forefront of pivotal moments in modern history. Lee: This is from a 1989 interview with journalist Eric Marcus. Abrams is now one of the most prominent African American female politicians in the United States. And so when I think about womanhood, we have to be expansive with all of these gender categories. 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. 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. 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? It was written, directed, and produced by Tourmaline and Sasha WebMarsha P. Johnson, transgender activist and urban legend, was never one to mince words. 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. Silvia Rivera died of liver cancer in St. Vincents Manhattan Hospital in 2002 at the age of 50. 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. I actually think we're more powerful when we have numbers. Marsha P. Johnson was one of the most prominent figures of the gay rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s in New York City. Lee: You know, of course we've had this conversation around feminism and other movements before, whether women who are part of the movement are Black first or are they women first, gender first. 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. What opportunities did she find? How have Indigenous people exercised sovereignty and self-determination in the modern world? Look no further than our guide. She was 46. Now they are getting a statue in New York Marsha enjoyed expressing herself through her appearance. But the fight for protection and inclusion back then is so similar to the fight we are seeing today. Willis: I think it's all of the above. Original music by Hannis Brown. After graduating high school, Marsha moved to New York City with only $15 and a bag of clothes. She also found work waiting tables and performing in drag shows. MLA Rothberg, Emma. Something went wrong while submitting the form. Abrams is now one of the most prominent African American female politicians in the United States. Willis: It does hurt. 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. The City intends to have the monuments installed by 2021, as part of a plan to address gender gaps in public art. It was about the oppression and fear they felt every single day. 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. In 1970, Sylvia came to Marsha with an idea. What was STAR, and why was it so important? 'Cause it's like you're only cherished if you're dead, or you're only cherished if you can be in the spotlight and in some ways serve this desire of a cis person for you to be a spectacle, right, so they can add another layer of distance to you. At her funeral, hundreds of people showed up at the church; it was so crowded that people stood on the street. After this experience, Rivera left New York City and activism behind for a bit. The store owners called her riffraff and threw her out. Johnson is also now the subject of many documentaries. 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. 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. What challenges did she face there? WebIn December 1970, Liza Cowan of WBAI saddle down with members of and novel formed Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (or S [3]These transgender icons will be the first to get statues in the US About, Sylvia Rivera Law Project,https://srlp.org/about/. The raid on Stonewall galvanized the gay rights movement. Explore our collection of the best LGBTQ+ Pride quotes. She was an advocate for drag queens, people of color, and transgender people, fighting for their right to be seen and heard.. 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. All Rights Reserved. The first STAR House was in the back of an abandoned truck in Greenwich Village. The P stood for Pay It No Mind. To her, this was a life motto and a response to questions about her gender. We'll be back next week. According to her nephew, Johnson always maintained a close but fraught relationship with her family back in New Jersey. Lee: By the time Marsha died in 1992, people rarely talked about her role in the movement. How did Marsha embody her Pay It No Mind name? And I didn't get downtown till about 2:00. She also did not have a permanent home during this time, and bounced around sleeping at friends homes, hotels, restaurants, and movie theaters. . TRANSCRIPT I think the first thing people need to do is really sit down and analyze themselves, answer what their insecurities are around anything, you know, but particularly around gender. And we were all out there. In 1970, Johnson and Rivera founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), an organization dedicated to sheltering young transgender individuals who were shunned by their families. The two also began STAR House, a place where transgender youth could stay and feel safe. 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. And that fearless attitude exemplifies how the Black transgender activist lived her life, leading the charge for LGBTQ+ rights every step of the way and helping instigate the Stonewall Inn uprising that sparked the gay pride movement. Lee: Marsha P. Johnson was one of those women. Marsha P Johnson, born 24 August, 1945, holds a special place within the LGBTQ+ community for her larger-than-life spirit and trans rights activism. The weight is heavy, and there's a lot to be concerned, sad, angry about. Pay It No Mind: Marsha P. Johnson | Alexander Street, part of She used she/her pronouns. She began performing with the drag group, Hot Peaches. She attracted the attention of many, including the pop artist Andy Warhol who included her in a series of prints in 1975 entitled Ladies and Gentlemen. In an interview Johnson did for a 1972 book, she said her ambition was to see gay people liberated and free and to have equal rights that other people have in America. She wanted to see her gay brothers and sisters out of jail and on the streets again. In another interview, she said as long as gay people dont have their rights all across Americathere is no reason for celebration. In 1980, she was invited to ride in the lead car of the Gay Pride Parade in New York City. Rivera was born in New York City in 1951 to a father from Puerto Rico and a mother from Venezuela. I don't relish in these ideas of being the first, or being a token, or being an only. Oil on canvas. So you can't really say that womanhood is based in the ability to procreate as a woman. And then the last thing I'll say is, you know, you brought up the contours of womanhood. But when it comes to this kind of allyship, especially when we're talking about Black people, right, what does it take? Toshiko Akiyoshi changed the face of jazz music over her sixty-year career. And so cis women are also harmed by the patriarchy, and cis women are also harmed by men in our communities. IE 11 is not supported. [5]Brooklyns East River State Park renamed in honor of late LGBTQ activist and trans icon Marsha P. Johnson, Download the official NPS app before your next visit, "From the Vault: Sylvia Rivera & Marsha P. Johnson, 1970," Making Gay History Podcast, Marsha P. Johnsons Activism Matters Now More Than Ever, Site Renderings for Marsha P. Johnson State Park, LGBTQ America: A Theme Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer History, "These transgender icons will be the first to get statues in the US", "'The Death And Life Of Marsha P. Johnson' Shows Fight For Social Justice Isn't Finished", "Two Transgender Activists Are Getting a Monument in New York", Marsha P. Johnson, a black transgender woman, was a central figure in the gay liberation movement, Two Transgender Activists Are Getting a Monument in New York, These transgender icons will be the first to get statues in the US, The transgender women at Stonewall were pushed out of the gay rights movement. Honey, I promise you, I'm not. So, like, what are you doin'? As one of few women and Asian musicians in the jazz world, Akiyoshi infused Japanese culture, sounds, and instruments into her music. Marsha P. Johnson was a proud and outspoken member of the LGBTQ+ community before it was popular to be so. LIVE! The story of a transgender activist who participated in the Stonewall Uprising and fought for equal rights. Marshas life dramatically changed when she found herself near the Stonewall Inn in the early hours of June 28, 1969.
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