This led to the rise of and a subset of LGB individuals who argue that transgender identities are a threat to same-sex attraction. This internal schism became painfully public in the 2010s and 2020s, with debates over whether trans women belong in women’s spaces or whether trans men should be included in gay male circles.
In the 1970s and 80s, as the gay and lesbian movement sought mainstream acceptance, it often employed a strategy of respectability politics. The message was: "We are just like you, except for who we love." This strategy frequently threw transgender and gender-nonconforming people under the bus. Mainstream gay organizations sometimes distanced themselves from drag queens and trans folk, viewing them as "too queer" and a liability to the cause of assimilation.
This disparity forces mainstream LGBTQ culture to confront its own privilege. The health of the entire movement is increasingly measured by how it treats its most marginalized: trans women, especially trans women of color. Looking ahead, the relationship between the trans community and LGBTQ culture is likely to become even more integrated, but also more complex. The rise of non-binary and genderqueer identities is dissolving the strict binary that even earlier generations of trans people held to. Young people are increasingly understanding sexuality and gender as sliding scales rather than fixed boxes.
When we celebrate Pride, we must remember Marsha and Sylvia. When we fight for healthcare, we must include gender-affirming care. When we build communities, we must build them for the most vulnerable. For the rainbow is only as strong as the colors it refuses to erase.
