marsha p johnson speech transcript

At one point, Rivera attempted suicide. We don't really talk about how we have our own conceptions of which victims are worthy of our empathy. Lee: I always wonder, and I had been a police reporter for a long time, so I've covered all kinds of crimes. Chicago Rothberg, Emma. Trymaine Lee: Last month, in the middle of Pride, thousands of people gathered in Brooklyn, New York for a rally for Black trans lives. I've also been planting and reminding myself through gardening indoors, I guess, that regardless of what happens, growth is still possible. The story of a leader in social, environmental, and political activism and first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. After a boy sexually assaulted her, she stopped wearing the clothes she loved and felt most comfortable in. Why do you think they were so close? . 2022. They thought it was more likely that Marsha was a victim of an attack. In the wake of the raid, Johnson and Rivera led a series of protests. Not long after arriving in New York, 17-year-old Marsha met 11-year-old Sylvia Rivera. Perhaps you could say that trans people may have a more drastic experience, but it's so connected to the ways that boys and men in general are told that they can't have a certain well of emotion, that they can't be intimate and have other ways of moving through the world that don't involve control and domination. How did Marsha feel about this? And it was an impressive sight. Because as a Black trans woman, you telling me you want to abolish the police or you telling me you want to abolish prisons, that you want to defund the police doesn't necessarily put me completely at ease because I know that I could still be and am likely to be harmed by men in our communities, particularly Black cishet men. Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor: Culinary Anthropologist, Dr. Wangari Maathai: The story of a leader in social, environmental, and political activism and first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, Towards Hawaiian Sovereignty: Legacy of Dr. Haunani-Kay Trask, Chronicles of American Women: Your History Makers, Women Writing History: A Coronavirus Journaling Project, We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist DC, Learning Resources on Women's Political Participation, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38099161, https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/who-was-sylvia-rivera, https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/20/nyregion/sylvia-rivera-50-figure-in-birth-of-the-gay-liberation-movement.html, https://npg.si.edu/blog/welcome-collection-sylvia-rivera, https://ag.ny.gov/civil-rights/sonda-brochure, https://www.nps.gov/people/sylvia-rivera.htm, www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/Sylvia-Rivera, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/forgotten-latina-trailblazer-lgbt-activist-sylvia-rivera-n438586, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-york-city-monument-will-honor-transgender-activists-marsha-p-johnson-and-sylvia-rivera-180972326/, https://www.villagevoice.com/2002/02/26/a-woman-for-her-time/, https://www.out.com/pride/2019/5/21/how-sylvia-rivera-created-blueprint-transgender-organizing. Why did Marsha move to New York City? She was excited about the work but frustrated at how white gay men and lesbians dominated the conversation. Nearly 24 young people called the truck home. Thank you for joining the Goodnewsletter! Invite students to. Marsha P. Johnson. National Womens History Museum. I mean, I wish I could say yes, but Black cis folks are not doing enough. That is just another element of patriarchy. Dunlap, David W., Sylvia Rivera, 50, Figure in Birth of the Gay Liberation Movement,New York Times, February 20, 2002,https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/20/nyregion/sylvia-rivera-50-figure-in-birth-of-the-gay-liberation-movement.html. To honor Johnsons life, public art will be included and interpretive park signage throughout the park will share her story. Life Story: Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992), Women & the American Story, New-York Historical Society, https://wams.nyhistory.org/growth-and-turmoil/growing-tensions/marsha-p-johnson/#:~:text=After%20graduating%20high%20school%2C%20Marsha,to%20questions%20about%20her%20gender. Perry, Ana, Sylvia Rivera: Activist and Trailblazer, Face to Face Blog, National Portrait Gallery,https://npg.si.edu/blog/welcome-collection-sylvia-rivera. I am a senior. Jarena Lee, 1849. Lee: This is from a 1989 interview with journalist Eric Marcus. 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. 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. Black trans women continue to face disproportionate levels of violence. As they watched their kids jump from a moving truck, Marsha and Sylvia realized they needed a real home. With public installations already being implemented, the plan is to complete renovations by 2021. Immediately after graduating from Thomas A. Edison High School, Johnson moved to New York City with one bag of clothes and $15. She remains one of the most recognized and admired LGBTQ+ advocates. And I think that we have to be able to hold that. WebHappy Birthday, Marsha! A decade later, Sylvia lost her battle to cancer. 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. Good news is coming your way! 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. Episode 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. Thank you for having me. 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. Why do you think Marshas life has started to gain more attention in recent years? Not long after, her body was pulled from the Hudson River near the West Village. Willis: I think it's all of the above. You can't say that it's about having a particular set of chromosomes. Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson: Listen to the Newly [4]The transgender women at Stonewall were pushed out of the gay rights movement. You say Marsha P. Johnson, and people who don't know, she was so about it, right, and so about the work. The final bill passed in 2002 and prevents discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, credit, and the exercise of civil rights.. Willis: First of all, anytime a celebrity tweets, I'm like, "How you got time for this?" Marsha P. Johnson: The way I winded up being at Stonewall that night, I was having a party uptown. 2022. www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/marsha-p-johnson. Marshas whole life seemed to be a balance between popularity and exclusion. I mean, I think things have definitely shifted in the last few years of my career. And just as there's that education, there's also the education on whiteness. 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. The troubles she experienced as a child followed her into adulthood. To learn more, check out the vocabulary resource guides from. I think when you're close to people it does hurt in a particular way. Willis: I definitely think that names like Marsha P. Johnson were forgotten intentionally. 'Cause when I got downtown, the place was already on fire and it was a raid already. I've been around them for years, from working the streets. TRANSCRIPT Invite students to research the ways in which Marshas legacy is being remembered today. Note: Marshas life story includes a large amount of vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to teachers and students. Throughout Greenwich Village, she was known as Saint Marsha. Locals admired her ability to truly be herself. NASA on The Commons, via flickr, Home / Growth and Turmoil, 1948-1977 / Growing Tensions / Life Story: Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha P So it is hurtful, but I don't have the luxury of giving up. Despite her popularity, Marsha also lived a life of poverty and danger. MLA Rothberg, Emma. So if we're gonna say we're getting rid of prisons, we're defunding the police, which I support, we have to be just as much or maybe more invested in building up the consciousness of our people to be able to actually hold those people who commit harm and abuse accountable in the ways that we need them to be held accountable. The story of a transgender activist who participated in the Stonewall Uprising and fought for equal rights. Oops! CNN 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. University of Chicago Library, Special Collections Research Center. In 2021, New York City will unveil a monument to Rivera and Johnson. Smithsonian Institute Archives Image # SIA 2010-1509. Thats what made me in New York, thats what made me in New Jersey, thats what made me in the world., On Changing History: History isn't something you look back at and say it was inevitable. Police then reclassified the case as a drowning from undetermined cause, but the LGBTQ+ community was furious that the police refused to investigate further and that many press outlets did not cover her death. Willis: No. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. New-York Historical Society Library. Emma Rothberg, Sylvia Rivera, National Womens History Museum, 2021. Pay It No Mind: Marsha P. Johnson | Alexander Street, part of Solly, Meilan, New York City Monument Will Honor Transgender Activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, Smithsonianmag.org, June 3, 2019,https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-york-city-monument-will-honor-transgender-activists-marsha-p-johnson-and-sylvia-rivera-180972326/. To learn more, check out the vocabulary resource guides from GLAAD: Transgender glossary and LGBTQ glossary. 13 Powerful Marsha P. Johnson Quotes - Biography Johnson enjoyed wearing clothes made for women and wore dresses starting at age five. She was assigned male at birth. 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. 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? Though her life was cut tragically short, Marsha's legacy remains an inspiration to us all. And that's just not okay. Willis: Right. Rivera was born in New York City in 1951 to a father from Puerto Rico and a mother from Venezuela. New-York Historical Society. And we saw just from the turnout for the Rally for Black Trans Lives that there is momentum there also. Marsha P. Johnson was a proud and outspoken member of the LGBTQ+ community before it was popular to be so. 1750. New York State still persecuted gay people and frequently criminalized their activities and presence. They rented a dilapidated building with no electricity or running water. During Marshas lifetime, the term transgender was not commonly used. And that's something other LGBTQ+ folks, particularly white ones, need to understand. Having difficulty finding employment, Johnson turned to sex work. And so when I think about womanhood, we have to be expansive with all of these gender categories. And that's part of why I have an issue with the way that we have framed violence as simply something that happens from the state, something that happens from police officers who are white that overwhelmingly happens to cisgender heterosexual men. Abrams is now one of the most prominent African American female politicians in the United States. . You may wish to start with a screening of. Invite students to research recent activism around the extreme violence that trans women of color continue to face. Assigned male at birth, Johnson grew upin an African American, working-class family. Diana Davies/Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library, By Alexandra Burgos for NPS Cultural Landscapes Program, [1] Marsha P. Johnson, a black transgender woman, was a central figure in the gay liberation movement Marsha P. Johnson When a Warhol screen-print of Marsha went on display in a Greenwich Village store, Marsha took some friends to see it. The Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act (SONDA), New York State Office of the Attorney General,https://ag.ny.gov/civil-rights/sonda-brochure. How do you actually navigate those spaces? Rivera frequently experienced homelessness and had problems with substance abuse. An acronym that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer and is an umbrella term for the community of people whose gender and sexual identities exist outside of heteronormative expectations. She was 46. This video was created by the New-York Historical Society Teen Leaders in collaboration with the Untold project. In 1975, artist Andy Warhol crossed paths with Marsha and photographed her for his Ladies and Gentleman series. 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. or a search for the Black Trans Lives Matter movement. 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. And people don't want to say that because I think there's this idea that the biggest enemy is white supremacy, but that is a fallacy. Wilchins, Riki, A Woman for Her Time,The Village Voice, February 26, 2002,https://www.villagevoice.com/2002/02/26/a-woman-for-her-time/. Darling, I want my gay rights now. 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 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. Overwhelmingly, Black people are around other Black people, right? But the fight for protection and inclusion back then is so similar to the fight we are seeing today. Thank you. And it's not just Black trans women. They were pushed out of the fight for suffrage in this country. Lee: Raquel, thank you so much for joining me. Marsha P. Johnson at the First Christopher Street Liberation Day March, 1970. So, I mean, there are so many ways in which the argument against trans women being women also erases swaths of cisgender women who don't have those particular experiences. 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. What tensions existed within the gay liberation movement? Sylvia was a Puerto Rican trans woman who was also new to New York. Mostly white cisgender gay men, but also cisgender lesbians as well. Lee: We're in this moment here where there is so much energy around the Black Lives Matter movement. 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." It was difficult for Marsha to find work. Marsha had a reputation for being generous and kind. Her partner, Julia Murray, was with her at the time of her death. Stonewall 50 Minisode 1 Marsha P. Johnson & Randy Wicker Reyes, Raul A., A Forgotten Latina Trailblazer: LGBT Activist Sylvia Rivera, NBC News, October 6, 2015,https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/forgotten-latina-trailblazer-lgbt-activist-sylvia-rivera-n438586. I really appreciate it. Special thanks to Eric Marcus, founder and host of the podcast Making Gay History, for the use of his 1989 interview with Marsha P. Johnson. Lee: On one hand, I get tired of the trope that the Black community is somehow more homophobic or more transphobic. Protest Leader: Black trans power matters. And so we've got to understand that. [3]These transgender icons will be the first to get statues in the US IE 11 is not supported. Gertrude Kasebier, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. I don't think any of us have the luxury of focusing on one group or the other. Rivera later said of Johnson, she was like a mother to me. As Johnson had done for herself, she encouraged Rivera to love herself and her identity. When we're talking to white people about white supremacy, we could say, "Read how to be an antiracist," right? In 2019, New York City announced that a statue of Marsha and Sylvia would be the first monument to honor trans women in the city. WebIn December 1970, Liza Cowan of WBAI sat down with membersation a the newly formed Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (or S But life didnt start out fearlessly for Johnson. When a Warhol screen-print of Marsha went on display in a Greenwich Village store, Marsha took some friends to see it. Sylvia Rivera. National Womens History Museum, 2021. 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. The monuments are dedicated to their legacy and to share their stories for generations to come. Image Credit:Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Ron Simmons. Now they are getting a statue in New York, Brooklyns East River State Park renamed in honor of late LGBTQ activist and trans icon Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha P. Johnson never self-identified with the term transgender, but the term was also not in broad use while she was alive. How have Indigenous people exercised sovereignty and self-determination in the modern world? 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. Lee: By the time Marsha died in 1992, people rarely talked about her role in the movement. Lee: How do you move through these movement spaces that, you know, the bounds of white supremacy are still there? In 1990, Johnson was diagnosed with H.I.V. Sylvia and Marsha hustled every night to make sure their new family had breakfast each morning. Johnson became known as much for her activism as for her attention-grabbing wardrobe, often complete with red plastic heels, colorful wigs and flowers and fruit in her hair. I'm Trymaine Lee. For example, dancing with a person of the same sex as well as cross-dressing were illegal. Or is it your gender identity first? Marsha is one of many Black Trans She dispensed cheer and joy. She was sometimes homeless and living on the streets but almost always present for decades. The police officers ruled her death a suicide. Into America is produced by Isabel Angel, Allison Bailey, Aaron Dalton, Max Jacobs, Barbara Raab, Claire Tighe, Aisha Turner, and Preeti Varathan. WebOn what would have been Marsha P Johnsons 77th birthday, the founder of the institute that bears her name discusses her powerful, often misunderstood legacy. Hope y'all enjoy the long holiday weekend. June 7, 1999. You know, I think about how more work needs to be done at our colleges and universities, in our Greek organizations, in our professional organizations, in the Congressional Black Caucus. Describe Marshas and Sylvias friendship. Oil on canvas. [5] The parks updates will include a litany of updated facilities such as a public restroom and an educational hub. In a 1992 interview, Johnson said "I was no one, nobody, from Nowheresville until I became a drag queen.. 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? She never let her personal setbacks stop her advocacy. The best email in your inbox.Filled with the days best good news. Their tireless efforts continue to resonate as issues surrounding the health, safety, and autonomy of Black, Brown, and Indigenous Trans women are still challenged. Johnson and Rivera arrived at Stonewall around 2am where, Johnson said in a later interview, the place was already on fire, and there was a raid already. Johnson, like many other transgender women, felt they had nothing to lose. Willis, Raquel, How Sylvia Rivera Created the Blueprint for Transgender Organizing,Out Magazine,May 21, 2019,https://www.out.com/pride/2019/5/21/how-sylvia-rivera-created-blueprint-transgender-organizing. The group became a space to organize and discuss issues facing the transgender community in New York City and they also had a building, STAR House, that provided lodgings for those who needed it. Even when she found work waiting tables or performing in drag shows, she still made most of her money as a sex worker. Raquel Willis: There's this idea that because we are having an openly different gender experience, that we deserve the abuse that we may receive. Marsha was often alone with strangers in hotel rooms and cars. Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, ca. The store owners called her riffraff and threw her out. She started Transy House, modeled off STAR House, in 1997 in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Apr 21, 2023. Unidentified African American woman in uniform, 1861. WebIn December 1970, Liza Cowan of WBAI saddle down with members of and novel formed Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (or S About, Sylvia Rivera Law Project,https://srlp.org/about/. We'll be back next week. So it has been intentional, and it is still intentional today. She also encouraged Sylvia to love herself and her identity. For me, I found joy in having a chance to connect with the people closest to me in new ways, in deeper ways, reminding myself to take a walk not only for exercise but for the fresh air. And it also of course extends to folks who are nonbinary or gender nonconforming who straddle all of these struggles. Lee: Speaking of white women, that's a perfect segue. Marsha was part of a growing community of LGBTQ youth who sought acceptance in New York City. (CHEERING). I think its about time the gay brothers and sisters got their rights especially the women., On Embracing Her Identity: Id like to see the gay revolution get started If a transvestite doesnt say 'Im gay and Im proud and Im a transvestite,' then nobody else is going to hop up there and say 'Im gay and Im proud and Im a transvestite' for them., On Human Rights: You never completely have your rights, one person, until you all have your rights. And whatever I can do to use the bit of access I might have, or privilege, or platform to push the dignity of Black trans people, I'm gonna do it. Together, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera continue to inspire the fight for justice that has not been won. Chapultepec Castle, Mexico City. Engraving. Sylvia Rivera. National Womens History Museum. You should stand as close to them as you can and help them out as much as you can. She also reconciled with the gay rights movement that was now expanding to embrace the LGBTQ+ community. I think we have to have a real conversation on how white supremacy has also plagued the LGBTQ+ movement since its inception. Abigail Adams was an early advocate for women's rights. She was beaten for doing so and, after being attacked on a school playground in sixth grade by another student, suspended from school for a week. As one of few women and Asian musicians in the jazz world, Akiyoshi infused Japanese culture, sounds, and instruments into her music. Yet this was not the first time Rivera was directly involved in activism. Lady Gaga Stonewall Day Speech Transcript 2019: "I Would Take a Since the term transgender wasnt used during her time, she identified as gay, transvestite and as a drag queen, using the pronouns she/her. On July 6, 1992, Johnsons body was found in the Hudson River. How can food be used as a form of cultural memory & resistance? As we celebrate Earth Day this year, may we reflect on the wise words of environmentalists, climate activists, faith leaders, lovers of nature, and the youth of the world. Transpeople were more likely to be homeless and targeted by police. Almost 30 years on from her death, Johnson is getting the attention she was denied when she was alive, with tales of Johnson adored wearing colorful, fun outfits that she made from finds at thrift stores and discarded items; she was also often seen wearing a crown of flowers. The Importance of Dialogue, Development and Acceptance But the impact of STAR had already been felt by many. Willis: I don't think so. 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? The City intends to have the monuments installed by 2021, as part of a plan to address gender gaps in public art. We should not be ashamed of who we are. Marsha P. Johnson, Id like to see the gay revolution get started If a transvestite doesnt say Im gay and Im proud and Im a transvestite, then nobody else is going to hop up there and say Im gay and Im proud and Im a transvestite for them. Marsha P. Johnson, Darling, I want my gay rights now! Marsha P. Johnson. Soul Poem Written and Performed By Marsha P. Johnson She began dressing almost exclusively in womens clothes and adopted the full name Marsha P. Johnson. The riots had already started, and they said the police went in there and set the place on fire. Marsha P. Johnson (U.S. National Park Service) I think some people try to. Johnson: And Sylvia Rivera and them were over in the park having a cocktail. Astronaut Ellen Ochoa, mission specialist, carries her son Wilson Miles-Ochoa following the STS-96 crew return at Ellington Field. Johnson was outspoken about the risks of tackling the Mob; her roommate at the time had been lobbying to have officials with alleged Mafia ties removed from the The Stonewall Inn uprising was also a turning point in the visibility of the gay rights movement. Is it a dropping of ego? 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. Hey, Marsha. All they think about is getting up your dress, anything to get up that dress of yours. Look no further than our guide. Johnson, an African American self-identified drag queen and activist, was also battling exclusion in a movement for gay rights that did not embrace her gender expression. Our executive producer is Ellen Frankman. Once in New York, Johnson returned to dressing in clothing made for women and adopted the full name Marsha P. Johnson; the P stood for Pay It No Mind, a phrase that became her motto. While short-lived, STAR House was an important space for those who needed it. I mean, I think about the early feminist movement and how people like Sojourner Truth, Ida B. She also did not have a permanent home during this time, and bounced around sleeping at friends homes, hotels, restaurants, and movie theaters. We went out and hustled the streets. Please try again. Lee: I want to ask you though.
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