Before the famous 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City, gender-nonconforming individuals led earlier uprisings against police harassment. The 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot in San Francisco, led largely by transgender women and drag queens, marked one of the first recorded collective actions against state oppression in American history. When the Stonewall Riots occurred, figures like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera became foundational icons, cementing the trans community's role at the forefront of liberation. The Evolution of the Acronym
In the 1980s and 90s, trans women, particularly trans women of color, were devastated by the AIDS epidemic alongside gay men. They were dying in the same hospital wards, abandoned by the same families, and buried in the same unmarked graves. Fighting HIV/AIDS required a united front, forcing LGB and T organizations to collaborate on healthcare, housing, and harm reduction.
A common misconception is that being transgender is a type of sexual orientation.