I knew there were other Black trans and Black people who felt uncomfortable coming into BLM spaces-male, CisHet, female-cisgendered spaces. Wouldn't let me be a part of the protest. I got to a point where somebody actually ripped it out of my hands.
Joela-Abiona Rivera, cofounder of the Stonewall Protests: When Black Lives Matter gained momentum again in the summer of 2020, I was out there.Įvery time I would be out there, I would bring a Pride flag with me, and there was always a problem. Its members shared their stories with Harper’s Bazaar. Photographer Ryan McGinley captured this community and its glorious fight for the freedom to protest. The weekly actions, led by Joela-Abiona Rivera and Qween Jean, became known as the Stonewall Protests and lasted for more than a year. Beginning in June 2020, hundreds of people met every week in New York City to march for Black queer and trans lives.
