Hello folks, I’m back with another edition of My Heroines, where I talk about women throughout history who have influenced me in one way or another!
It was Pride this past weekend and so I’d love to take this opportunity to talk about Marsha P. Johnson. At the time of writing, today’s Google doodle is honouring her, which is what gave me the idea!
Marsha P. Johnson was an incredibly important LGBT activist, self-identified drag queen, and a black non-cis gender non-conforming person (she did not engage with the term “transgender”, but it was also not in wide circulation during her life). She was a prominent figure in the Stonewall riots of 1969 (the riots are what brought us Pride!) and a co-founder of the radical activist group, Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries.
She also modelled for Andy Warhol and regularly performed onstage with a drag troupe called Hot Peaches.
Her body was sadly found floating in a river and was ruled a suicide - however, there are many controversies surrounding this since there was a wound found in the back of her head and no note left behind.
During this time of political uprising, it’s important to remember that non-cis blck women are some of the most marginalised people in our world today. It’s important to celebrate them and remember their achievements, as well as to continue fighting for the rights of Black people everywhere.
Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Non-binary people are valid. Black Lives Matter.
Happy Pride y’all!
[If you want to find out more, you can watch her documentary on Netflix!]
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