This month, we celebrate love in all forms of uniqueness. The fight is not over and we will continue advocating for basic human rights. Let it not just be about the parades and flags but true passion to make a difference in this world. For our FIT Blog, we’d like to highlight a historic activist who fought for LGBTQIA+ rights. Scroll to see who we’ve featured!
Marsha P Johnson
Fierce, unapologetic, and brave are all things that describe Ms. Marsha P. Johnson. She was an activist for gay liberation and one of the early pioneers advocating for equal treatment for the LGBTQIA+ community. As you can imagine, being gay and black during the 60's was a challenging time. Not only would one deal with racial discrimination but the pure hatred for gay and trans people began to boil over. Back then, if you were gay you were considered mentally ill. Restaurants, bars, and a wide array of businesses would not let gay and trans people in their storefronts. The LGBTQIA+ community would be targeted for hate crimes and verbal assaults while police and other people in the neighborhood turned a blind eye from the abuse.
Marsha P. Johnson was suspected to have been murdered in 1992 but the cause of death was ruled "undetermined." If she was alive today she would see how accepting and open society is now when it comes to gender and sexuality. There is still PLENTY of work that needs to be done around the issue. The hate still exists and the nasty comments are still present, but the LGBTQIA+ community has grown stronger than before. There are more resources and people who can help through challenging times. There are hotlines and different outlets for counseling. Let us not be judgmental or disrespectful towards our gay, trans, and non-binary brothers and sisters. We must spread love and compassion. It's not easy being different. So let us not look down on others for being different in regards to gender and sexual preference.