Black Trans Lives Matter — HEDON sonance

In memory of Marsha P. Johnson

Marsha P. Johnson (left) and Sylvia Rivera (right)

Dear ravers,

In our last week’s post, we committed to write about equality and freedom on a structural basis. If we want to overcome institutional racism and discrimination it must be a continuous process about gathering information, learning, understanding and spreading what you have learned to teach others.

In the light of recent events we want to highlight te role of the black community in the evolution of the Pride. In June is pride month. Do you know why it’s in June?

On June 28th in 1969 the police raided the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village New York, a safe haven for the queer community back then. The whole community started to fight back, and the raid turned into an uprising against police brutality and violence. The next day the movement started: thousands of people protesting on the streets for weeks.

After the uprising the Gay Liberation Front was born. With transgender and gender non-conforming BIPOC activists like Marsha P. Johnson, Zazu Nova and Silvia Rivera at the front. They all played a big role in making the gay rights movement a more inclusive movement. The first gay pride took place in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco a year after the uprising, on 28th of June, as a remembering of the Stonewall Uprising.

The redesigned pride flag includes black and brown stripes to represent marginalised LGBT communities of colour, along with the colours pink, light blue and white, which are used on the Transgender Pride Flag.

The fight for equal rights for LGBTQ+ people is far from over. Every year more and more transgender and gender non-conforming people are getting killed, of which the MAJORITY are black transgender women, according to Human Right Campaign. Not only in the United States but all over the world. This has to stop!

Support black trans lives:
Trans Women of Color Collective: https://www.twocc.us/media
Emergency Release Fund: https://emergencyreleasefund.com/about

When we are going back to our safe space and queer techno parties in the future, let’s keep our spaces safe and inclusive for everyone so everyone can be their shining true selves <3