A petition demanding that the Trump administration reverse the removal of mentions of transgender people from the Stonewall Uprising page on the National Park Service (NPS) website has garnered more than 25,000 signatures.
The controversy erupted after the NPS updated its description of the Stonewall National Monument, omitting references to transgender and non-binary individuals who played crucial roles in the 1969 riots. In its place, the monument’s description now references only lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, removing the inclusive LGBTQ+ acronym.
The change has sparked widespread backlash from LGBTQ+ advocates, historians, and activists, who argue that it disregards the essential contributions of transgender women, particularly trans women of color, in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
Among the most prominent figures erased from the updated history is Marsha P. Johnson, a Black trans woman who was pivotal in the Stonewall uprising. Johnson, along with Sylvia Rivera, co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), an organization dedicated to supporting homeless transgender youth in New York City. Johnson’s legacy has been instrumental in shaping both the Stonewall riots and the broader LGBTQ+ rights movement.
Tanya Asapansa-Johnson Walker, a prominent trans activist, led protests outside the Stonewall Inn on February 16, where hundreds of people gathered to demand the restoration of transgender visibility in the monument’s historical account. During the protest, Asapansa-Johnson Walker expressed her outrage, emphasizing the ongoing importance of transgender people in society.
“Trans people have been here since the beginning of time,” she said. “We fought in all the wars. We’re creators, we have families and children. We’re just as much a part of this world as anyone else. We’re here to stay and we will not be erased by a Christo-fascist, neo-Nazi administration.”
The petition, launched by the activism platform Care2, calls for the immediate reinstatement of transgender history on the Stonewall Uprising page. In an official statement, Care2 condemned the removal, accusing the Trump administration of “deliberate harm” by erasing the contributions of trans people like Johnson and Rivera.
The petition’s spokesperson further criticized the National Park Service for erasing the contributions of transgender individuals, calling the move “shocking and unjust.” They argued that by omitting the significant role played by transgender people in the Stonewall riots, the NPS is not only erasing the history of trans individuals but also undermining their foundational role in the broader LGBTQ+ movement.
“At the heart of this erasure lies the legacy of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, two transgender women of color whose bravery and activism helped launch a movement that continues to this day,” the spokesperson said. “These courageous individuals not only contributed to the uprising but also founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries, which offered crucial support to homeless trans youth in New York City. The erasure of their contributions from this pivotal moment in history is an affront to the entire transgender community.”
The petition has continued to gain traction, quickly approaching its goal of 30,000 signatures. Care2’s open letter demands that the government restore mentions of transgender people and their role in the Stonewall uprising to the monument’s historical description.
In addition to demanding historical accuracy, the letter emphasizes the importance of preserving this part of LGBTQ+ history for future generations. “Transgender people have always been a central part of the LGBTQ+ movement, and we cannot allow them to be written out of history,” the letter concludes.
The removal of transgender history from the Stonewall Uprising page comes at a time of heightened attention to LGBTQ+ rights under the Trump administration. Critics argue that this is part of a broader effort to marginalize the transgender community and erase their visibility from American history. The incident has also reignited concerns about the erasure of marginalized groups from mainstream narratives, particularly the historical contributions of people of color in the fight for civil rights.
For now, the petition and public outcry continue, as LGBTQ+ advocates demand that the history of the Stonewall Uprising be accurately and inclusively represented, ensuring that transgender individuals are given their rightful place in the story of the struggle for LGBTQ+ equality.
