We can't let Women's History Month pass us by without making a post about some of our favorite queer women in history. You can find links to read more about them at the end of the article.
Audre Lorde
A self-described “black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet,” Audre Lorde dedicated both her life and her creative talent to confronting and addressing injustices of racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia. One of my (Melissa) favorite and most inspirational quotes is "When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid."
Leslie Feinberg
Leslie was an American butch lesbian, transgender activist, communist, and author. Feinberg authored Stone Butch Blues in 1993. Her writing, especially Stone Butch Blues and her first non-fiction book Transgender Warriors (1996), influenced terminology used in gender studies and was pivotal in bringing these issues to a more mainstream audience. Leslie opened my (Melissa) eyes to butch history and class issues. Leslie shook Melissa's hand once and she hasn't washed it since (may or may not be true).
Marsha P. Johnson
Marsha P. Johnson was an organizer, an advocate, and a central figure in the 1969 Stonewall uprisings. She continued her advocacy throughout the rest of her life. She has impacted all of our lives even if you don't know it.
Sylvia Rivera
Billie Holiday
This bisexual jazz icon and activist was known for being out, proud, and dating famous actresses like Tallulah Bankhead and Greta Garbo throughout her career. Holiday used her music to bring awareness anti-Black violence and everyday racism, with her interpretation of anti-lynching poem, Strange Fruit. Holiday never shied away from confronting the systems of oppression that directly harmed her communities through her art, making her a lasting figure in music history. She is truly inspirational to have been outspoken in that era.
To read more about Audre Lorde, click here.
To read more about Leslie Feinberg, click here.
Information about Martha P. Johnson, Silvia Rivera, and Billie Holiday was obtained from Them magazine at https://tinyurl.com/Ourfavewomen.