Who is your favorite historical figure?

In all honesty, at first glance was kinda tough choosing a historical figure for this prompt. Then thinking about it once more I had the perfect person in mind.Marsha P. Johnson. Her legacy, and the impact she left on my community is renowned. She was a human rights activist who truly believed in freedom of expression. Back in the 80s, trans women/or any member of the LGBTQ+ community were shunned from society, their own families, just simply for being themselves. Some even ventured off to create families of their own; they took it upon themselves to be mothers and fathers, and mother children.

They formed what are called houses. Some houses went off to create big names for themselves.

The Royal House of Labejia
The House of Aviance
The International of Chanel
The House of Omni
The House of Balenciaga

These houses competed for royalty, they walked balls and competed for trophies. But more a name in that scene.

During this same time the Aids epidemic is going on. Most people called that the “gay disease”. Every one had opinions, but community never failed to stay strong and stay together. Community should a big thing for this world, but no. We remain divided, as always. We’re divided all the way down from race, height, gender, nationality, EVEN OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM. We live in a world of ignorance, and agony. No one cares.

Marsha’s legacy left an impact on lots of trans women at that time, and even continues to today. The way she didn’t care, and was so real and down to earth, and said what she wanted is because to me. The stonewall riots were a huge foot in the door for the LGBTQ+ community, gave us power, and human right as people in today’s society.

Marsha protests Bellevue Hospital’s treatment of street people/LGBTQ. By Diana Davies, 1968-1975. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e3-5fa8-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Her legacy was so impactful Netflix has her own documentary series about her story.

Marsha’s death was tragic. Ruled as a suicide, as most members of the LGBTQ+ community were when murdered. It’s wild, actually heartbreaking that shit like this still happens today. On top of all the trans laws in the US.