Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Photo of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera

This June marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising against police harassment and discrimination on LGBTQ individuals. It was recently announced that a monument honoring Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera will be installed in New York. The work was commissioned by She Built NYC, a public arts campaign aiming to highlight women trailblazers to celebrate and bring public awareness towards their accomplishments and historical impacts. Johnson and Rivera, two transgender women activists, were key figures in those demonstrations that are now considered to be the milestone event leading to the historic gay liberation movement. The monument is planned to be down the block from Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street. The two have often been overlooked in narratives surrounding LGBTQ history, and the monument is part of an effort to bring deserved attention to Johnson and Rivera, as well as shine light towards transgender women of color in the LGBTQ community.

This will be one of very few statues of LGBTQ individuals in New York City, and the first public artwork honoring transgender women in the world. Officials are currently searching for an artist, and it is hoped to be completed by the end of 2021. Read more about the monunment here

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Source Name: 
The Washington Post
Author Name: 
Gillian Brockell