How Two Trans Women of Color Sparked a Movement: The Legacy of Marsha P. Johnson & Sylvia Rivera

I Am Me Inc
Jul 6
4 min read

Updated: Jul 7

When we talk about LGBTQ+ history, certain names echo loudly: Harvey Milk, Ellen DeGeneres, RuPaul, but we often miss the roots of the movement, the ones planted by people of color, by trans women, by those on society’s margins. Two of the most powerful names in LGBTQ+ history: Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera.

They weren’t just activists. They were revolutionaries. And they were best friends who stood hand-in-hand at the front lines of a movement that was just learning how to speak.

Before There Was a Movement, There Was Survival

Marsha P. Johnson, a Black trans woman and drag performer, and Sylvia Rivera, a Puerto Rican-Venezuelan trans woman, lived at the sharp edges of American society. They were poor. They were trans. They were homeless for much of their lives. And they were frequently targeted by police violence.

But what the world saw as a burden, they turned into purpose.

They knew firsthand what it meant to be excluded not just from society at large, but even within the growing gay rights movement, which often centered on white, cisgender, middle-class men. Johnson and Rivera were the ones shouting from the back of the room, demanding, “What about us?”

Sisters in the Struggle

Their friendship was more than emotional; it was revolutionary. Marsha and Sylvia met on the streets of New York City in the late 1960s. Both had fled abusive homes. Both had turned to sex work to survive. And both had dreams much bigger than survival.

They became chosen family protectors, co-conspirators, and ultimately, co-founders of STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) in 1970. STAR wasn’t just a political group; it was a lifeline. They rented an apartment in the East Village and turned it into a shelter for queer and trans kids who had been kicked out of their homes or were living on the streets. They paid the rent with whatever money they could scrape together, often from sex work or donations.

In a world that told them they were disposable, Marsha and Sylvia built a home.

From Stonewall to STAR: Starting a Revolution

The Stonewall Uprising in June 1969 is often marked as the start of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. While stories vary, many credit Marsha and Sylvia as key figures in the days of protest that followed the police raid at the Stonewall Inn.

Regardless of the exact timeline, what matters is that they were there organizing, resisting, and then, when the dust settled, creating a lasting infrastructure for queer survival. Mainstream LGBTQ+ organizations in the 70s and 80s often excluded trans people, especially trans women of color. Sylvia was famously booed off stage at a 1973 Pride rally for calling out the hypocrisy of a movement that benefited from their labor but denied them dignity.

But she and Marsha never backed down. They kept showing up for homeless youth, for sex workers, for people with HIV/AIDS. Always at the edges, and always at the center of the real fight.

Radical Love, Enduring Legacy

Their bond wasn’t just personal; it was political.

Sylvia often called Marsha her “mother” in the movement, and said Marsha saved her life more than once. In turn, Sylvia never stopped fighting for Marsha’s legacy, even after her mysterious death in 1992, when Marsha’s body was found in the Hudson River.

Police called it a suicide; activists demanded answers. The case was reopened in 2012, thanks in part to that pressure.

Today, their names are finally receiving the recognition they deserve. Brooklyn is home to the Marsha P. Johnson State Park. Documentaries such as The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (available on Netflix) and Pay It No Mind (available on YouTube) are introducing their stories to new generations. It's wonderful to see their legacies honored at Pride events and by LGBTQ+ nonprofits that celebrate their contributions.

More importantly, their approach to community-driven activism is being carried on by Black and Brown queer organizers across the nation. These individuals are building mutual aid networks, providing housing for trans youth, and advocating for justice that goes beyond rainbow capitalism.

What We Learn From Marsha and Sylvia

Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera didn’t ask for seats at the table. They built their own. Their activism teaches us:

Liberation must center the most marginalized.

Friendship and chosen family are political forces.

Real change comes from the streets, not the boardroom.

As we honor Pride, or Trans Day of Remembrance, or Black History Month, let’s remember who lit the spark and what they really stood for.

They weren’t just fighting for LGBTQ+ rights. They were fighting for a world where no one gets left behind.

Are you familiar with Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

I hope you found value in our monthly educational blog, published on the first Monday of each month, which highlights the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals throughout history. Understanding history is crucial as it sheds light on our experiences, contributions, and the societal changes that are necessary. If you have a suggestion for a person to feature or wish to create an I Am Me History Blog, please reach out to Peirrce M. at peirrce@iammecorp.org.

Thank you for dedicating time to History!

Learn about Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera

Books:

Stryker, Susan. Transgender History (Seal Press, 2008)
Gossett, Reina et al. Trap Door: Trans Cultural Production and the Politics of Visibility (MIT Press, 2017)

Documentaries: