Zanele Muholi
Visual activist who documents Black gay, lesbian, transgender, and intersex people in South Africa.
Category Archives: Activism > LGBT Rights
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Cecilia Chung
Cecilia Chung is a groundbreaking advocate for the transgender community and those living with HIV/AIDS. For decades, she has worked on the local, state, and national levels to end the discrimination and violence that her communities face.
Laverne Cox
A prominent actress and the first openly transgender person nominated for an Emmy, Laverne Cox has promoted visibility and awareness on behalf of the transgender community.
Andrea Jenkins
Andrea Jenkins made history in 2017 when she became the first African American, openly transgender woman elected to public office in the United States. As a politician, poet, activist, and community historian, Jenkins strives to bring “the notion of love into the public discourse.”
“A, D, and G”
Between 1996 and 1997, three transgender women – known in in court records as A, D and G to protect their identities – were denied gender reassignment surgery by the North West Lancashire Health Authority in England. In 1999, the women brought a legal suit against the Health Authority.
Dawn Langley Simmons
One of the first individuals to receive gender-affirming surgery in the United States, Simmons was also well-known in Charleston society for her marriage to John Paul Simmons. Theirs was reportedly the first documented interracial marriage in South Carolina.
Stormé DeLarverie
Stormé DeLarverie was a butch lesbian with zero tolerance for discrimination, or as she called it, “ugliness.” During an era that often showed hostility towards LGBTQ people, and queer women in particular, DeLarverie provided safety and acceptance.
Eartha Kitt
American entertainer whose career spanned several decades and encompassed singing, acting, and dancing.
Laura Hershey
American poet, journalist, and disability rights activist. Known for her powerful writing and advocacy, she explored themes of disability, identity, and social justice.
Bea Arthur
While Bea Arthur is widely recognized for her iconic roles in “Maude” and “The Golden Girls,” her life and career were rich with fascinating, lesser-known aspects.