Youth's Lives Every Day
In a time where women’s history and LGBTQ+ history are facing erasure, remembering the heroes of the past is more important than ever. Our world has been shaped in so many ways by people who dreamed big and forged hope despite the obstacles by unapologetically advocating for others. Unfortunately, women’s contributions to human advancement are too frequently glossed over, misattributed, or forgotten.
This is also true for women’s involvement in the LGBTQ+ movement. Countless women have put their lives on the line to fight for equity and the rights we all deserve. Without their leadership and heart, LGBTQ+ rights would look totally different today.
Here we want to acknowledge a few trailblazers whose stories deserve our attention. Leaders, activists, artists, and entertainers, all of which shaped the world for the better.
Who is Josephine Baker?
Josephine Baker (1906–1975) was a bisexual dancer, singer, actress, civil rights activist and a survivor of the East St. Louis riots in 1917. Despite the horrors she faced, Baker was bold and courageous, openly discussing the racism she witnessed and endured in the US. She found fame in Europe after becoming an expatriate of the United States which is where her legacy as a vaudeville performer began.
What did Josephine Baker do?
Baker was more than a performer. When France was invaded in World War II, Baker joined the fight against Nazis. She helped the French military by sharing secrets she’d heard while performing in front of the enemy using invisible ink on music sheets.
Upon her eventual return to the US, she continued fighting against racism and segregation. She never stopped using her voice to speak out, no matter the risk to herself.
Who is Sylvia Rivera?
Sylvia Rivera (1951 – 2002) was a legendary trans woman who played a significant role in the Stonewall Riots, and LGBTQ+ rights movement that it inspired.
Rivera’s childhood was difficult. Her father was absent and her mother passed away when she was 3 years old. She faced intense violence for expressing herself through clothes and makeup and ran away from home at age 11. It wasn’t until she met Marsha P. Johnson in 1963, that her life really began to change.
What did Sylvia Rivera do?
Rivera put her life and freedom on the line by being an active leader in the Stonewall Riots on June 28, 1969 when patrons of the Stonewall Inn pushed back against a police raid. While Rivera did not throw the first brick (or Molotov cocktail), she says she did throw the second. That night started a revolution and put the LGBTQ+ rights movement on the map for much of the country.
As the early gay rights movement grew, transgender people were often excluded and overlooked. Sylvia Rivera fought tirelessly for trans inclusion, including securing protections under New York’s 2002 Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act.
Co-founding STAR alongside Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, built a supportive community and gave a voice to many trans people. Today we can thank people like Rivera, who often remain unsung heroes, for paving the way for the LGBTQ+ rights of today.
Who is Angela Davis?
Angela Davis (1944 – Present) is a Black lesbian author, philosopher, and political activist. Mired in the inequality and injustice of the Jim Crow South, Davis’ mother instilled a sense of power and pride into her. Her intellect and passion led her into the academic world, eventually becoming a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), among other academic positions.
Davis focused not solely on academics, but on activism as well, becoming a member of the Black Panther Party and the Che-Lumumba Club, an all-Black branch of the Communist Party.
What did Angela Davis do?
Her beliefs, group affiliations, and activism led to her dismissal from her position at UCLA and even made her a target of government surveillance and harassment. This inspired nationwide protests and ultimately resulted in her winning her job back.
It is no exaggeration to say that her books, like Women, Race, & Class (1981), Blue Legacies and Black Feminism (1989), and Are Prisons Obsolete? (2003) have changed the world, sparking conversations and movements in the fight against systemic racism. Her courage in the face of immeasurable adversity has cemented her as an unforgettable woman.
Who is Stormé DeLarverie?
Drag king Stormé DeLarverie (1920 – 2014) was a butch lesbian who stood strong for her community. DeLarverie was also an androgynous fashion icon who would go on to become a key player in the gay rights movement. According to many, it was DeLarverie who threw the first punch in the Stonewall Riots. A revolutionary, a protector, and a rebel, DeLarverie has left behind an enduring legacy.
What did Stormé DeLarverie do?
Born to a white father and a black mother, DeLarverie found herself caught between two worlds. After discovering a love for jazz music, DeLarverie began singing in New Orleans clubs at the age of 15. She toured Europe and eventually landed in New York City as master of ceremonies for the Jewel Box Revue, a racially integrated variety show featuring 25 drag queens and DeLarverie as the only drag king.
On stage, she was known for her trademark tailored suits, pencil thin mustache, and husky baritone singing voice. Through her popularity at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, Stormé began to run in circles with icons like Dinah Washington and Billie Holiday.
DeLarverie was not afraid of confrontation and protecting those who needed it. Referred to as the “guardian of the lesbians in The Village,” she was rumored to patrol the streets of Greenwich Village with a concealed rifle ensuring safety for lesbians and children. That, in addition to her contribution to the Stonewall Inn uprising, and her illustrious performance career, make her someone to remember.
Who is Margaret Chung?
Margaret Chung (1889 – 1959) was the first Chinese American woman to become a physician. Chung had the goal of becoming a medical missionary to China, and attended the University of Southern California for college and medical school. As a medical student, Chung wore masculine clothing and referred to herself as “Mike.” This deviation from strict norms resulted in pushback at the time and later in her life.
What did Margaret Chung do?
Dr. Chung was the founder of one of the first medical clinics in San Francisco’s Chinatown in the 1920s. The soldiers, sailors, and airmen that she helped during World War II often referred to her as “Mom”. Even after care, these “adopted sons” would gather in her San Francisco home for large dinners, and eventually become a sort of non-traditional chosen family.
Dr. Chung used her influence to support the Allied war effort and, through her lobbying, created Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES). Despite Dr. Chung’s caring heart and incredible accomplishments, she faced prejudice because of her race, sex, and sexuality. Though she was said to have had many relationships with women, she never publicly lived or identified as a lesbian. Regardless, Dr. Chung paved a unique and impactful path, saving and changing the lives of so many.
Who is Billie Jean King?
Billie Jean King (1943) is one of the greatest tennis players of all time who won 39 Grand Slam titles throughout her career. She was a powerful advocate for women in sports and equity in pay for women athletes. Amongst her many accomplishments, King is widely known for her participation in “Battle of the Sexes,” changing the world of tennis forever. While King would come to identify as a lesbian, the choice to self-identify was taken from her when she was outed in 1981.
What did Billie Jean King do?
At 11 years old, King told her mother while she was playing tennis, “I am going to be No. 1 in the world.” King succeeded in doing just that. She won her first major singles title at Wimbledon in 1966 (and again in 1967 and 1968) and became the #1-ranked women’s tennis player in the world. She claimed the title of number one five times throughout her career.
Between 1961 and 1979, she won Wimbledon a record 20 times, claimed 13 U.S. titles, four French titles, and two Australian titles playing both singles and doubles. The amount of wins under King’s belt are daunting and eventually resulted in her being named Sports Illustrated’s 1972 Sportsperson of the Year, making her the first woman and first tennis player to earn that title.
Perhaps most iconically, King is known for beating Bobby Riggs, a self-proclaimed male chauvinist, in the “Battle of the Sexes.” The latter wanted to prove men’s tennis was superior to women’s tennis. Millions of people watched all over the world as King took Riggs down.
Despite being outed later in life, King never stopped being a trailblazer for women. Her courage to stand up to chauvinism and commitment to her goals elevate her legacy as one of the greatest women athletes of all time.
Who is Edie Windsor?
Edie Windsor (1929 – 2017) is a lesbian woman known to many as the hero of marriage equality. A lawsuit she started resulted in one of the most important LGBTQ+ victories in American history.
What did Edie Windsor do?
In 1965, Windsor began a relationship with the woman who would become her wife, Thea Spyer. The pair married in Canada in 2007 and their marriage was legally recognized in New York, where they lived. When Spyer died in 2009, the federal government refused to recognize her marriage to Windsor, denying her spousal benefits. This was the moment she started her historic lawsuit.
Windsor stood strong as the lead plaintiff in the 2013 United States v. Windsor court case, which was argued before the Supreme Court. Despite societal pushback, Windsor never gave and won her case. This resulted in the overturning of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act and, ultimately, became a landmark legal victory for same-sex marriage in the U.S.
Windsor’s case would go on to be used to overturn same-sex marriage prohibitions in 17 states and paved a path for the Obergefell v. Hodges lawsuit in 2015, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
A Call to Action
The stories of these incredible human beings can feel so monumental, but each of us plays a role in our world and can make it a better place. Many larger than life stories begin with taking small actions in the spaces and for the people right in front of you. We hope you take these stories as a reminder that women and queer people continue to change the world and to share their legacies with a family member or friend. Together, we keep the rich history of human progress alive and remind ourselves of how connected we are.
History is not just in textbooks, it’s being made every single day all around us.
The Trevor Project is committed to remembering our stories and building on a powerful legacy of action to ensure no LGBTQ+ person feels alone.
If you need someone to talk to, the Trevor Project is here. Our free, secure, 24/7 support services are always available for LGBTQ+ young people. You can call 1-866-488-7386, text ‘START’ to 678-678, or visit trvr.org/Help to get started.
You can also connect with LGBTQ+ peer community on TrevorSpace, or visit our website www.TheTrevorProject.org to explore mental health resources and self-care guides.
