Pride Month spotlight - Marsha P. Johnson

As Pride Month comes to a close, we want to celebrate the legacy of Marsha P. Johnson, a central activist during the gay liberation movement. While often overlooked by the mainstream media, Marsha is gaining more recognition as a pioneer for her queer activism. A prominent figure during the Stonewall uprisings, she was relentless in her calls for social and economic justice, and also refused to conform to traditional gender roles as a self-identified drag queen and transwoman.

As a part of her activism, she co-founded the activist group Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) with her long-time friend, Sylvia Rivera, which advocated for young transgender people by providing them with housing, clothing, and food. Marsha was also a member of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF), helped prompt the first pride parades, and advocated for AIDS patients as a part ACT UP before tragically passing away in 1992.

As a black, queer, gender-nonconforming person living on the streets, Marsha was perhaps the most marginalized of people. Yet, as Susan Stryker, an associate professor of gender and women’s studies at the University of Arizona, says, “Marsha had this joie de vivre, a capacity to find joy in a world of suffering…and channeled it into political action.” As the fight for social justice and equality continues, we can all draw inspiration from Marsha’s capacity to find joy and channel it into the following action:

• Continue learning about Marsha by reading Marsha by Tourmaline and watching the documentary The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson
• Participate in and celebrate Pride events
• Volunteer or donate to LGTBQ+ services and organizations
• Learn more about “overlooked” historical figures