At the same time, the trans community shares common ground with the broader LGBTQ culture: the search for self-definition, chosen family, and freedom from heteronormative expectations. A gay man and a trans woman may walk different paths, but both have been told they’re “wrong” for being who they are.
In the words of Marsha P. Johnson, whose statue stands proudly in New York City’s Christopher Park: “Pay it no mind.” She meant that the world’s judgment of her gender was irrelevant. Today, that mantra resonates louder than ever. Pay the hate no mind. Pay the ignorance no mind. And pay attention to the radiant, unbreakable spirit of the transgender community—the soul at the center of the rainbow.
: Key historical events like the 1959 Cooper Do-nuts Riot in Los Angeles and the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot in San Francisco were led by transgender people and drag queens fighting back against police harassment.
Originating in the Black and Latine trans communities of New York City, ballroom culture gave us "voguing," "slay," and the concept of "chosen families."