Transgender individuals have often been at the front lines of the movement for equality. Most notably, the 1969 Stonewall Uprising—the spark for the modern pride movement—was led by trans women of color like and Sylvia Rivera .
Before exploring the culture, we must establish a foundational vocabulary. Mainstream LGBTQ culture often centers on sexual orientation (homosexuality, bisexuality). Transgender identity, however, is rooted in gender identity —one’s internal, deeply held sense of being male, female, a blend of both, or neither.
Perhaps the most glamorous and influential subculture within LGBTQ history is the . Originating in Harlem in the 1920s and exploding in the 1980s, Ballroom was created by Black and Latinx transgender women and gay men who were excluded from white-dominated pageants.
Whether you’re queer or a cisgender straight ally, the most useful thing you can do is listen, show up, and speak out against transphobia wherever you see it—including within supposedly “gay-friendly” spaces.
representing the limitless diversity of sexual orientations and gender identities. Transgender (Trans):
Many trans people are rejected by their biological families. LGBTQ culture is built on the concept of "chosen family." Opening your home, your dinner table, or your circle of friends to a trans person who has been exiled is the most radical act of queer love.