Trans-activism has a long history, ever since Christine Jorgensen stepped off the plane in 1953. In the ‘60’s Louise Lawrence and Virginia Prince began to organize the tran-community and by 1965 ten states passed laws to change birth certificates. On April 25, 1965 the protest at Dewey’s Lunch Counter was staged when more than 150 patrons in “non-conformist clothing” were turned away by the management. Sit-ins followed over several days. The Compton Cafeteria Uprising took place in August 1966 when the police tried to throw the “Street Queens” out of the cafeteria. The Stonewall Uprising began because of a police raid looking for people “dressed in clothes of a different gender” and people without IDs. One person that was a major player in the uprising was Sylvia Rivera, a trans-woman, who later went on to be one of the founders of the Gay Liberation Front (GLA) and the Gay Activists Alliance (GAA). She was thrown out of the GLA and the GAA because they only wanted gays and lesbians who could assimilate into the straight community. She also went on to found S.T.A.R. or Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries.

In 1979, the trans-community was not allowed to march in the tenth anniversary Stonewall parade and for the 25th anniversary Stonewall parade we were also barred from marching. At the 25th anniversary Stonewall parade, the Transexual Menace staged a protest by lying down in the middle of 5th Avenue attempting to block the parade. Beginning in 1995, representatives from the trans-community began lobbying for an inclusive ENDA.

Our community was always left out when the press talked about LGBT issues, we were lumped together as “Gays” as a result we were written out of history. An example is the recently signed hate crime law, look at how many newspapers reported “Anti-gay hate crime law” or just reported the law covered sexual orientation and did not mention that it also covered gender identity. The transgender community has a rich history of activism going back over 40 years.

I suggest that you read Dr. Susan Stryker book “Transgender History.”

Trans-activism has a long history, ever since Christine Jorgensen stepped off the plane in 1953. In the ‘60’s Louise Lawrence and Virginia Prince began to organize the tran-community and by 1965 ten states passed laws to change birth certificates. On April 25, 1965 the protest at Dewey’s Lunch Counter was staged when more than 150 patrons in “non-conformist clothing” were turned away by the management. Sit-ins followed over several days. The Compton Cafeteria Uprising took place in August 1966 when the police tried to throw the “Street Queens” out of the cafeteria. The Stonewall Uprising began because of a police raid looking for people “dressed in clothes of a different gender” and people without IDs. One person that was a major player in the uprising was Sylvia Rivera, a trans-woman, who later went on to be one of the founders of the Gay Liberation Front (GLA) and the Gay Activists Alliance (GAA). She was thrown out of the GLA and the GAA because they only wanted gays and lesbians who could assimilate into the straight community. She also went on to found S.T.A.R. or Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries.

In 1979, the trans-community was not allowed to march in the tenth anniversary Stonewall parade and for the 25th anniversary Stonewall parade we were also barred from marching. At the 25th anniversary Stonewall parade, the Transexual Menace staged a protest by lying down in the middle of 5th Avenue attempting to block the parade. Beginning in 1995, representatives from the trans-community began lobbying for an inclusive ENDA.

Our community was always left out when the press talked about LGBT issues, we were lumped together as “Gays” as a result we were written out of history. An example is the recently signed hate crime law, look at how many newspapers reported “Anti-gay hate crime law” or just reported the law covered sexual orientation and did not mention that it also covered gender identity. The transgender community has a rich history of activism going back over 40 years.

I suggest that you read Dr. Susan Stryker book “Transgender History.”

Trans-activism has a long history, ever since Christine Jorgensen stepped off the plane in 1953. In the ‘60’s Louise Lawrence and Virginia Prince began to organize the tran-community and by 1965 ten states passed laws to change birth certificates. On April 25, 1965 the protest at Dewey’s Lunch Counter was staged when more than 150 patrons in “non-conformist clothing” were turned away by the management. Sit-ins followed over several days. The Compton Cafeteria Uprising took place in August 1966 when the police tried to throw the “Street Queens” out of the cafeteria. The Stonewall Uprising began because of a police raid looking for people “dressed in clothes of a different gender” and people without IDs. One person that was a major player in the uprising was Sylvia Rivera, a trans-woman, who later went on to be one of the founders of the Gay Liberation Front (GLA) and the Gay Activists Alliance (GAA). She was thrown out of the GLA and the GAA because they only wanted gays and lesbians who could assimilate into the straight community. She also went on to found S.T.A.R. or Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries.

In 1979, the trans-community was not allowed to march in the tenth anniversary Stonewall parade and for the 25th anniversary Stonewall parade we were also barred from marching. At the 25th anniversary Stonewall parade, the Transexual Menace staged a protest by lying down in the middle of 5th Avenue attempting to block the parade. Beginning in 1995, representatives from the trans-community began lobbying for an inclusive ENDA.

Our community was always left out when the press talked about LGBT issues, we were lumped together as “Gays” as a result we were written out of history. An example is the recently signed hate crime law, look at how many newspapers reported “Anti-gay hate crime law” or just reported the law covered sexual orientation and did not mention that it also covered gender identity. The transgender community has a rich history of activism going back over 40 years.

I suggest that you read Dr. Susan Stryker book “Transgender History.”

In every case, the opponents promised dire consequences if the bill was passed.

“Wait until little girls start showing up dead all over the county because of freaks of nature.” said Adol T. Owen-Williams II, a Montgomery County Republican Central Committee member.

We're still waiting in Montgomery county, 2 years later.

One of the *opponents* to the legislation in Gainesville was caught putting video cameras in the ladies restrooms in his store though.