The "T" in LGBTQ+ refers to individuals whose gender identity—their internal sense of being male, female, both, or neither—differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.

Transgender and gender-nonconforming people were among the first to resist systemic police harassment, setting the stage for the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

Following Stonewall, Johnson and Rivera co-founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) , the first organization in the U.S. dedicated to providing housing and support for homeless LGBTQ+ youth. Defining the Community within LGBTQ+ Culture

Trans women of color, most notably Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera , were central figures in the Stonewall riots, which served as a global catalyst for Pride celebrations.

Beyond activism, trans creators have shaped culture through art and music, such as the Ballroom scene , which was largely pioneered by Black and Latine trans women. Contemporary Challenges and Barriers

Transgender is often used as an umbrella category for a diverse range of identities, including trans men, trans women, and non-binary or genderqueer individuals.