We celebrate Pride Month in June around the world to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which began in the early hours of June 28, 1969, when police raided the Stonewall Inn – a gay bar in New York City– and unjustly targeted its patrons. In the ’60s, there were few places for members of the LGBTQ+ community to meet without experiencing homophobia or abuse. So places like the Stonewall Inn served a vital role in being a safe haven for the community to gather.
Two inspirational transgender women of color – Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rae Rivera – were LGBTQ+ activists and a key part of the movement that began on the night of the Stonewall riots. They were both frequent organisers and participants in protests for LGBTQ+ rights, and the two pioneers also founded Street Transgender (Formally Transvestite) Action Revolutionaries (STAR) – a shelter for homeless LGBTQ+ youth,
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