1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

The Trump administration's decision to remove references to transgender individuals from the Stonewall National Monument website is a blatant attempt at historical revisionism and erasure of a marginalized community. This move not only disrespects the vital role transgender activists like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera played in the Stonewall uprisings that catalyzed the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, but also perpetuates the marginalization and discrimination that the transgender community continues to face. Transgender history is inextricably woven into the fabric of the Stonewall riots and the subsequent fight for LGBTQ+ equality. Raids on LGBTQ+ establishments were often justified by laws policing gender expression, disproportionately targeting transgender individuals. It was transgender women like Zazu Nova who are credited with "throwing the first brick" that sparked the uprising. Erasing their contributions from the historical record is a deliberate act of erasure that cannot be tolerated. This revisionist effort by the Trump administration is not an isolated incident but part of a broader agenda to systematically erase transgender identities from public life, undermining the very existence and rights of this community. Such actions set a dangerous precedent and lay the groundwork for further discrimination and marginalization. I urge you to take immediate action to restore accurate and inclusive language on the Stonewall National Monument website, recognizing the vital role transgender activists played in this pivotal moment in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. Failing to do so would be a disservice to history and a perpetuation of the very injustices that the LGBTQ+ rights movement has fought against for decades.