Recently, government agencies — including the National Park Service — have been directed to remove references to transgender people and LGBTQ+ history from their websites. This includes pages dedicated to the Stonewall National Monument, a site that commemorates the 1969 uprising led by trans people against police brutality in New York City.
These digital erasures are part of a larger trend: the systemic attempt to silence queer and trans stories, identities, and contributions to American history. But we know the truth — trans people have always been here, and will always be here. And trans activists have always been at the forefront of the fight for liberation.
At FOLX, we believe that knowing our history is essential to understanding who we are, where we come from, and how we move forward together. Below, we honor five trans leaders who shaped our world, and whose legacies continue to guide us today.
Marsha P. Johnson was a Black trans woman and revolutionary who played a leading role in the Stonewall Uprising of June 1969 — a pivotal resistance against police violence that helped launch the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
Known for her floral crowns, infectious laugh, and unshakable commitment to justice, Marsha was a fixture of queer life in New York City. In 1970, she co-founded STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) with fellow activist Sylvia Rivera to support unhoused trans youth.
Although her life was tragically cut short, Marsha’s legacy lives on as a symbol of joy, resistance, and trans liberation.
An Afro-Puerto Rican and Venezuelan trans activist, Sylvia Rivera was also a leading figure at Stonewall, fighting on the frontlines against police raids and systemic oppression.
Throughout her life, she remained outspoken about the exclusion of trans people — particularly trans people of color — from the broader LGBTQ+ movement. She demanded justice not just for some, but for everyone, especially those experiencing poverty, incarceration, or homelessness.
She co-founded STAR with Marsha P. Johnson, and her 1973 speech at the Christopher Street Liberation Day Rally remains one of the most iconic moments in queer history. Sylvia's fire, brilliance, and refusal to be silenced continue to inspire activists around the world.
A queer Black legal scholar, Civil Rights activist, poet, and priest, Pauli Murray spent their life breaking barriers and making history.
Their legal work provided the intellectual framework for Brown v. Board of Education and Reed v. Reed, landmark cases that advanced racial and gender equality. In 1966, Murray co-founded the National Organization for Women, advocating for feminist inclusion across race and class lines.
Later in life, they became the first Black woman ordained as an Episcopal priest. Pauli Murray’s legacy sits at the intersection of race, gender, justice, and faith — and continues to shape the movements for equality today.
In 1952, Christine Jorgensen made history as the first American to publicly transition. Her gender confirmation surgery, performed in Denmark, was sensationalized by the media — with headlines like “Ex-GI Becomes Blonde Beauty” splashed across newspapers.
Rather than retreat from the spotlight, Christine embraced it. She became a nightclub performer, public speaker, and advocate, helping to bring visibility to the transgender experience at a time when such conversations were nearly nonexistent.
Christine’s courage and poise helped shift public perceptions around gender identity and opened doors for future generations.
As the House Mother of the House of Xtravaganza, Angie Xtravaganza was a beloved leader in New York City’s ballroom scene — a space created by and for Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ communities to express themselves, build family, and survive.
Featured in the1990 documentary Paris Is Burning, Angie spoke openly about the violence faced by trans women and the power of chosen family. She nurtured her house members like a true mother: offering shelter, love, and resilience in the face of systemic injustice.
Even after her death, Angie’s legacy as a cultural icon and maternal force lives on in ballroom and beyond.
The Fight to Preserve Our History
Trans people have always shaped history. Trans people are history. We must understand our past so we can build a freer and safer future.
Stay up to date on current events, resources, and actions you can take right now by joining FOLX's Community Platform — a space built by and for LGBTQIA+ people to connect, organize, and thrive.
