For today’s post we chose: Sylvia Rivera
Some fact about her:
born on the 2nd of July 1951
She was born male and given the name Ray
She has a Puerto Rican father and a Venezuelan mother
Her mother died by suicide when she was 3
She was abandoned by her father
She was then raised by her grandma (mother’s side)
She was disapproving Sylvias’s behaviour (ex: wearing make up)
At 11 years old so she was living on the street
She was forced to work as a child prostitute
Her name is coming from the local community of drag queens who took her out of the street
In 1963 she met Marsha P.Johnson
She died on the 19th of February 2002 from liver cancer
Sylvia’s activism for the LGBTQ rights:
Black Liberation movement:
Before gay rights Rivera was involved in the Black rights.
Riots of stonewall inn:
On the 28th of June 1969, police got violent against our community. Things escalated and Molotov coktail where thrown. Rivera said “she did not throw the first on but she did throw the second one”
Transgender rights:
The first pride parade occurred in 1970 to celebrate the riots of Stonewall. But Rivera as a transgender was discriminated and discouraged from participating. In 1973 Rivera participated but was not allowed to speak, she still took the microphone and said “ If it wasn’t for the drag queen, there would be no gay liberation movement. We are the front-liners”
The Gay Activists Alliance frequently rejected the role of transgender people ( which were at that time mostly people of colour) . At the age of 18 years old she joined it and she fought for not only the rights of the gay people but as well for the inclusion of drag queens in the movement.
She also fought against the exclusion of transgender people from Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act in New York. The final bill passed in 2002.
The Street transvestite Action Revolutionaries:
This organisation was co-founded by Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera and its purpose was to help the homeless LGBTQ youth in
The group became a space to discuss issues facing the transgender community.
Transy House:
It’s a transgender collective .
It provided shelter for trans and gender non -conforming people in need.
It was her last house.
How she was honoured:
In 1994 she was given a place of honour in the 25th Anniversary Stonewall Inn.
In 2015 a portrait of Rivera was added to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC, making her the first transgender activist to be included in the gallery.
In 2021, New York unveil a monument to Rivera and Johnson, first monument dedicated to transgender individuals.
"We have to be visible. We are not ashamed of who we are." Sylvia Rivera
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