In honor of International Women’s Day my blog wanted to take time to talk about some women apart of our community who have helped us achieve great milestones. Women deserve more praise, recognition, and celebration for even just being alive. The women, especially in the LGBTQ+ community, face and have faced hardships on a daily basis. While it is nowhere near reparations for said hardships, spreading positivity and showing good representation of women.
One of the greatest examples of a woman who should be celebrated is Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha P. Johnson was a Black trans woman who was the leader of STAR and one of the forefronts of the LGBTQ+ Liberation Movement. She was a committed trans activist before trans women were even acknowledged in our community. She was murdered in 1992, which in 2012 the case was reopened with the help of Mariah Lopez. She is an inspiration to our community, and she is the pinnacle of womanhood. A kind, caring, and loving member of our community who helped launch the talk of our rights in the public sphere. She was a trailblazer and one woman who should be celebrated for the work she did, in such a short period of time.
Representative Sharice Davids, she is the first openly LGBT Native American elected to the U.S. Congress, the first of only two Native American women elected to Congress, and the first Democrat to represent Kansas in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2011. She not only represents the Native American community but also our community as well. She pushes, and achieves, political progress for many groups of people. In her first 100 days she, Opened fully functional district office locations in both Johnson Countyand in Wyandotte County. In Wyandotte, there had not been a Congressional office in nearly a decade. Established a reoccurring monthly Popup Office in Spring Hill. Attended or hosted events in 12 cities across all three counties. Another woman who deserves praise for her continuous march to improve the lives of many.
The last woman I wanted to cover was Frida Kahlo. A feminist, bi-icon, and talented artist, she was helpful in helping normalize women feeling liberated. Frida was most known for her self-portraits take a deep dive into the female form and psyche. She also was outspoken about her disability and the rights of those with disabilities. She portrayed the female shape, sexuality, expression, and even the pain of being in woman in her many paintings. Her work was extremely complex with showing the female perspective. Her usage of femininity in her art and activism has held its weight. She is also an inspiration not just for artists, but for women, disabled individuals, and queer people around the world.
Women around the world on a daily basis deal with more obstacles than almost any other group of people. Many women have been of full support of our community for many years, showing us kindness and acceptance. This women’s month we need to celebrate, uplift, and remember the women who came before, are her now, and will be here to help uplift other communities. Women have been and will always be the strongest member of any society.
Resources:
TheAdvocateMag. (2020, March 30). 31 LGBTQ women who Changed Sports, culture, politics, history. Retrieved March 10, 2021, from https://www.advocate.com/women/2020/3/30/31-lgbtq-women-who-changed-sports-culture-politics-history#media-gallery-media-23
GLSEN LGBTQ+ History cards - Marsha p johnson. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2021, fromhttps://www.glsen.org/activity/glsen-lgbtq-history-cards-marsha-p-johnson
Rep. sharice Davids reflects on her first 100 days in Congress. (2019, May 28). Retrieved March 10, 2021, from https://davids.house.gov/media/in-the-news/rep-sharice-davids-reflects-her-first-100-days-congress
Laurenappelbaum. (2018, June 06). Frida kahlo: Role model for artists, people with disabilities and bisexual women. Retrieved March 10, 2021, from https://www.respectability.org/2018/06/frida-kahlo-lgbt-pride-month/
Picture: https://www.lgbtmap.org/lgbtq-women
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