In celebration of Black History Month, let’s recognize and applaud the amazing black leaders who have shaped the transgender movement.
When we talk about trans people, two names that almost always come up are Janet Mock and Laverne Cox, who have become standard-bearers for the trans community.
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Marsha P. Johnson
Considered by many to be one of the founders of the modern LGBT movement in the U.S., Johnson was one of the first people to fight back against the police during the Stonewall Riots. She died in 1992, but her legacy lives on. She is the subject of the documentary Pay It No Mind: The Life and Times of Marsha P. Johnson, and inspired the upcoming short film Happy Birthday, Marsha.
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Miss Major Griffin-Gracy
Another Stonewall veteran, Miss Major has continued to engage in vital activism on behalf of the LGBT community. She was an AIDS advocate in the 80's and 90's and more recently was executive director of the Transgender GenderVariant Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP), which supports transgender women affected by incarceration and police violence. She is also the subject of the upcoming documentary, Major!