During the 2010s "bathroom bills" in North Carolina and Texas, massive corporations and mainstream gay groups (like the Human Rights Campaign) mobilized behind trans rights. But there were quiet whispers in gay bars: "We fought for 50 years to be seen as non-threatening; these trans bathroom fights make us look dangerous." This revealed a fracture—a fear that trans visibility threatened the "normalcy" that gay and lesbian people had fought for.

Johnson, a self-identified drag queen and trans activist, and Rivera, a Venezuelan-American trans woman, did not just throw the first bricks; they spent the subsequent decades fighting for inclusion within the gay liberation movement. In the 1970s, as mainstream gay organizations pushed for respectability—telling members to dress conservatively and hide "deviant" gender expressions—Johnson and Rivera founded . They created the first LGBTQ+ youth shelter in North America, specifically for homeless trans youth.

This resource is a must-visit for anyone interested in learning about and supporting the transgender community and LGBTQ+ culture. Whether you're an ally, a member of the community, or simply looking to expand your knowledge and empathy, this platform is an invaluable resource.

To support LGBTQ culture without centering transgender voices is to build a house without a foundation. As Marsha P. Johnson famously said, “I want my gay rights, and I want my trans rights. I’m not going to be happy until I have my full rights.”