Hello Pride Community! 👋
In commemoration of Black History Month and International Women's Day, I'd like to shine the spotlight on Ms. Marsha "Pay it no mind" Johnson. A self proclaimed drag queen, and prominent advocate for gay rights. A revolutionary figure in the Stone Wall Riots of 1969.
Born on August 24th, 1945 in Elizabeth, New Jersey to Malcom Michaels Sr and Alberta Claiborne. Johnson was raised alongside 6 siblings. Marsha migrated to New York at age 17 with $15 and a bag of clothes, moving to Greenwich Village in 1966.
A true activist -Johnson was one of the very first drag queens to go to the Stonewall Inn after they began taking business from women and drag queens. Following the Stonewall Riots , she joined the Gay Liberation Front.
On June 28th, 1970, Johnson marched in the first Gay Pride rally. In August 1970, she staged a sit in protest at Weinstein Hall at New York University alongside other GLF members after a dance was cancelled due to it being sponsored by gay organizations.
Marsha established STAR House- a shelter for homeless gay and trans youth alongside Sylvia Rivera in 1970 and paid the rent for it with the money they made themselves as sex workers. She worked to provide food, clothing, emotional support and curated a family for young drag queens, trans women and gender nonconformists and gay street kids.
Johnson's life ended in 1992, during a time when anti-LGBT violence was at a peak in New York City. Marsha was one of the activists who had been drawing attention to the issue, participating in marches and other activism to demand justice for victims, and requesting an inquiry into how to stop the violence.
Let us take the time to remember an icon, a tremendous activist and advocate for human rights.
"No Pride for some of us without liberation for all of us." -Marsha P. Johnson
How did you commemorate Black History Month and or International Women's Day? Feel free to share, comment or post!
Yours in Community,
FidoJo
