Women's History Month: Marsha P. Johnson

Writer: Amina Eldahshoury

"History isn't something you look back at and say it was inevitable. It happens because people make decisions that are sometimes very impulsive and of the moment, but those moments are cumulative realities."

Marsha "Pay it No Mind" Johnson, along with Slyvia Rivera, led the Stonewall Uprising of 1969. When police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City, in June of that year - as they had many times before - Johnson and others there that night decided they'd had enough and fought back. The protest lasted six days and is considered the start of the LGBTQ+ movement. She dedicated her life to trans rights and advocated for LGBTQ+ protection. After Stonewall, alongside Sylvia Rivera, she co-founded the Street Transvesitte Action Revolutionaries (STAR) House - the first LGBTQ+ youth shelter in the U.S. and the first organization led by trans women of color.

"Pay it no mind" - Marsha's response to those questioning her gender.

In addition to the foundation of STAR, Marsha joined the Gay Liberation Front (GLF): an activist group that sought political action and protection for citizens based on their sexual orientation or behavior against oppressive laws and unequal ethics. Along with STAR and GLF activism, Marsha posed for a collection of Andy Warhol paintings and photographs, bringing further awareness to the transgender community. She passed away on July 6th, 1992, when her body was found in the Hudson River. Police ruled her death a suicide, but those close to her did not regard Marsha as suicidal and believe she was murdered. Her legacy continues to live on in the LGBTQ+ community and is honored beyond.