From Past to Present: Transgender Icons That Have Shaped History

4. Marsha P. Johnson

Marsha P. Johnson rose to prominence in the battle for trans acceptance, as well as in her fight for awareness about HIV within her community. She made her mark as a staunch activist dedicated to challenging social norms. Marsha was also known as a popular drag performer in the underground ball scene and even one of the performers in Andy Warhol’s “Factory.”

Johnson’s name has resurfaced in recent years in a string of documentaries about her life and impact on the Stonewall Uprising, an event that later became the inspiration for the annual Pride Parade. A lot of the footage depicts her performances as well as interviews with her peers talking about her passions and beliefs. Marsha P. Johnson died in 1992, but her passing is still a mystery.