Pay it no Mind - The Story of Marsha P. Johnson Essay Example

"We want to see all gay people have a chance at equal rights, as straight people in America. We believe in picking up a gun, and starting a revolutionary if necessary" once said the astonishing and inspiring Marsha P. Johnson. And that is exactly what she did. She had a major part in revolting the police at the Stonewall Riots. It all started when she was 5 when she started wearing feminine clothing. As she grew up, she came to terms with her identity. After she was fully comfortable with her identity in 1963, she moved to New York with fifteen dollars and a bag full of clothes. She started performing as a drag queen to make money. Marsha P. Johnson was an inspirational individual who has had a significant impact on the world. 

Furthermore, Marsha P. Johnson was an extremely influential figure in history. Although people are less familiar with her, Johnson played a key role in the uprising that began on June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in New York’s Greenwich Village after police raided the gay bar and patrons fought back (Maxouris, Christina. “Marsha P. Johnson: The Defender of Transgender Rights”). However, people still do not recognize who she was: “Marsha P. Johnson stood at the center of New York City’s gay liberation movement for nearly 25 years” (Maxouris, Christina. “Marsha P. Johnson: The Defender of Transgender Rights”). People still do not know that, as shown in the quote, she fought for gay and trans rights for twenty-five years. Therefore, people saw Marsha’s achievements and began to fight for their rights, too. 

Adding on, Marsha P. Johnson’s achievements are a huge inspiration to generations today. She showed people to be who they are and to fight for what they believe in. She became part of many activist groups, like the Gay Liberation Front: “Gay Liberation Front welcomes any gay person, regardless of sex, race, age or social behavior. Though some other gay organizations may be embarrassed by drags or transvestites, GLF believes that we should accept all of our brothers and sisters unconditionally” (KC Washington. “Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992) • BlackPast”). This quote shows how brave and remarkable Marsha was. There was bound to be some hate for the GLF from homophobes and transphobes. But Marsha knew what she believed in and fought for it until the day she died. This is a very important life lesson that Marsha showed - to fight for what you are passionate about. Not only did this show the generation living during that time, but it also shows future generations to fight for things they are passionate about. In conclusion, Marsha P. Johnson was an incredible person and inspired so many others.