At OUTMemphis, we are celebrating Women’s History Month with a focus on LGBTQ women who have made radical change in the United States.
Every week we will be highlighting an LGBTQ woman whose work has impacted the lives of LGBTQ people nationwide.
Spotlight: Sylvia Rivera (1951-2002)
Sylvia Rivera was a transgender activist of Venezuelan and Puerto Rican descent. She co-founded STAR (Street Transgender Action Revolutionaries) in 1970 with her friend and fellow activist Marsha P. Johnson. STAR focused on assisting homeless transgender women of color. Rivera was a central figure in the 1969 Stonewall Riots and fought for transgender people to be protected by non-discriminatory laws in New York City. Rivera’s activism focused on the rights of people of color and people living in poverty.
Rivera self-identified as a drag queen and preferred feminine pronouns. During the last years of her life, she worked to secure equal representation for transgender activists and causes within the LGBTQ rights movement. Her legacy continues through the Sylvia Rivera Law Project.
Learn more about Sylvia Rivera: Wikipedia, Sylvia Rivera Law Project, NBC News, Outhistory, Everyday Feminism
