Unveiling Marsha P. Johnson: The Untold Story of Joy, Defiance, and Revolution in Tourmaline’s New Film
Stonewall lit activist fire in Marsha. When one of the biggest advocacy groups to form in Stonewall’s wake, the Gay Activists Alliance, spurned trans people, STAR— Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries, “transvestite” being the term by which Marsha referred to herself—was born. The Black Panthers’ dedication to community and freedom from poverty inspired her to write the STAR manifesto, a concise statement of rights that remains tremendously relevant.
For a brief time, STAR had its own safe house where trans people, particularly young ones, could stay for free. Marsha envisioned much more: a 24-hour STAR hotline, a recreation center, help with medical care and bail. STAR was short-lived—the tenants would face eviction within a year of its founding. It seems amazing that Marsha willed it into existence at all, a testament to her determination and huge heart.
