From being credited for throwing the first molotov cocktail at the Stonewall Riots to

supposedly scaling the towns city hall in heels, Sylvia Rivera was strong and unapologetic. She

was an activist for most of her life and fought for trans inclusion and for the rights of people of

color and troubled youth. Her involvement with political groups, such as the Gay Liberation

Front (GLF) and Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), and her constant fight to see

that the trans community are seen as equals and are given proper treatment made her an

influential figure that inspired many trans activists that came after her. Unfortunately, many do

not know her name or of her many contributions that helped shaped the movement that it is

today.

Sylvia was born in 1951 in New York. She was orphaned at a young age and immediately

put under the care of her strict grandmother, who acted cruelly and abusive towards Sylvia once

her sister went to live with her father. In the fourth grade Sylvia was tormented by her peers for

wearing makeup and not fitting in with the societys ideal of gender. At the age of eleven, Sylvia

decided to leave for 42nd Street. Her new home was famous for its drag scene. Sylvia was

briefly involved in sex work and had been bailed multiple times out of jail by her grandmother

before being adopted by a group of drag queens who introduced and opened her eyes to a new

way of life (Klebine). She got to discover who she really was and was able to fully embrace

herself.

Sylvia is known for her presence in the Stonewall Riots, which began the modern day

liberation movement (Rivera). Stonewall was a defining moment in history and was what

brought national attention to the movement. The riots began at Stonewall Inn and lasted for six

days throughout the city (Wolf). Police raided the mafia owned Stonewall Inn, expecting some

kind of payoff, as they did with almost every other gay bar. Tensions rose and a riot broke out
soon after. The attention it gained was one of the factors for the ever increasing number of

protesters.

Rivera was excited to become a member of an organization called the GLF and jumped

at the chance to become involved in the activity emerging in the aftermath of Stonewall

(Klebine). However, it was not all what it seemed. She learned that the group was growing

increasingly conservative in their views and followed more of the mainstream ideals of what the

movement should be (Wolf). The GLF did not last and ultimately disbanded in 1972 due to the

conflicts between members. Sylvia strived and was determined to create a supportive and safe

living space for young transgender people (Scarpinato). She then founded STAR with her good

friend Marsha P. Johnson, another notable trans activist. Both had been homeless at various times

of their lives and intended for this organization to help aid other homeless and runaway drag

queens, who they referred to as their kids. They found creative ways to help shelter these people,

including Johnson and Rivera fitting more than fifty people inside two hotel rooms (Feinberg).

In honor of the Stonewall Riots, Rivera was invited to speak at the Gay and Lesbian

Community Center and to recount her memory of that night to supporters of the present day

movement. The speech is anecdotal and is used to inform those about her cause and why she had

fought for so many years.

Many people like to think that everyone was supportive, considering that many groups

were fighting to be seen as equal during the 1960s and 1970s, but this was not not the case:

The only reason they tolerated the transgender community in some of these movements

was because we were gung-ho, we were front liners [...] We had nothing to lose. You all

had rights. We had nothing to lose. I'll be the first one to step on any organization, any

politician's toes if I have to, to get the rights for my community (Rivera).
 The trans community became some of the most prominent and dedicated members of the

Gay Liberation Movement, and yet they were not given the same opportunities and respect as the

others they fought alongside of. Rivera risked everything for the movement and was willing to

spend her days in jail as a result. She was painstakingly aware of the absence of trans inclusion

and fought for that inclusion when she saw the opportunity of the Gay Rights Bill of New York.

She climbed the side of a city hall building that held a discussion over the bill to overhear what

they were saying since she had been banned from entering (Reyes). However, after the many

talks of the proposition of the bill it was decided that the trans community would ultimately not

be included. This infuriated Rivera and for seventeen years she was enthralled each time it was

denied approval because, in her words, I didn't feel it was justified for them to have it on my

sweat and tears, or from my back (Rivera). From this, her famous quote hell hath no fury like a

drag queen scorned was born.

Sylvia had always been passionate for trans, homeless youth and did everything in her

power to help them in some way. The Gay and Lesbian Community Center had forbidden her

from entering the building, requiring a permit for her to even be on the grounds to give this

speech (Scarpinato). Rivera saw many of the children [...] sleeping on the steps of that church

and said that the Gay and Lesbian Community Center had called the police because [she] went

in there with an attitude. [She] raised hell. (Rivera). The foundation she created along with

Marsha P. Johnson was made with the intention to help those who reminded her of herself and

others who were struggling. I am tired of seeing my childrenI call everybody including yous

in this room, you are all my childrenI am tired of seeing homeless transgender children;

young, gay, youth children (Rivera). She was a deeply caring person and was adamant on seeing
that these people received the treatment and respect they deserved. Sylvia did not want others to

live the life she had.

Rivera also spoke about the division of the Gay Liberation Movement, and that many

members of the gay community were conservative and held onto transphobic views. They did not

want the trans community to be seen or heard and used them as pawns for their own gain. Rivera

was still highly regarded as a notable figure from the Stonewall Riots and was invited to

participate in the Pride parade to commemorate the event. However, her community was pushed

further and further toward the back of the parade while the celebrated veterans from the

Stonewall Riots were placed near the front. She chose to walk with her people instead and said,

[b]ut until my community is allowed the respect to march in the front, I will go march with my

community because that's where I'm needed and that's where I belong (Rivera). She would not

rest until the trans people were given the same rights as the gay community received.

From the sources, there is not much information on who the audience consisted of.

However, from Riveras speech it becomes clear that the intended audience for what she has to

say is the gay community as a whole and what they can do to help bring further awareness to her

people. The speech was intended to be a reminder to the gay community that trans people do

exist and that inclusion is crucial for the movement to continue. The same mistakes should not be

repeated. She told the crowd, it's a shame that it has taken thirty two years for people to finally

realize how much we have given to you, to realize the history of the trans involvement in this

movement (Rivera). Many members of the trans community that pushed for the rights people

have today have been forgotten because of the lack of education of their history and involvement

in the movement (Reyes). In recent times, there has been more awareness spread.
 Sylvia Rivera was a lifelong activist that was willing to do anything for her cause and to

see the eventual and much needed liberation of the trans community. She lead with her heart and

dedicated her life to those who needed help, becoming a driving force in the Gay Liberation

Movement. Without her efforts, things would not be the same as they are today.

Works Cited

Feinberg, Leslie. Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries. Street Transvestite Action

Revolutionaries, www.workers.org/2006/us/lavender-red-73/. Accessed 10 Apr. 2017.

Klebine, Anna. ""Hell Hath No Fury like a Drag Queen Scorned": Sylvia Rivera's
 Activism, Resistance, and Resilience Challenging Gender Boundaries: A Trans

Biography Project Outhistory.org." Outhistory.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2017.

Reyes, Raul A. A Forgotten Latina Trailblazer: LGBT Activist Sylvia Rivera.

NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 6 Oct. 2015,

www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/forgotten-latina-trailblazer-lgbt-activist-sylvia-rivera-

n438586. Accessed 9 Apr. 2

Rivera, Sylvia. Our Armies Are Rising and We Are Getting Stronger." | Sylvia Rivera

2001."Our Armies Are Rising and We Are Getting Stronger." | Sylvia Rivera 2001,

www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/riverarisingandstronger.html. Accessed 10 Apr.

2017.

Scarpinato, Bebe, and Rusty Moore. Sylvia Rivera, Stonewall Riot Veteran. Sylvia

Rivera, Stonewall Riot Veteran, www.ifge.org/news/2002/feb/SylviaRivera.html.

Accessed 9 Apr. 2017.017.

Wolf, Sherry. Stonewall: The Birth of Gay Power. Stonewall: The Birth of Gay Power

International Socialist Review, isreview.org/issue/63/stonewall-birth-gay-power.

Accessed 10 Apr. 2017.