The roots of modern LGBTQ pride are deeply intertwined with transgender activism. Long before the term "transgender" entered the mainstream lexicon, gender-nonconforming individuals were at the front lines of the movement. Figures like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, both trans women of color, were instrumental in the Stonewall Uprising of 1969. Their leadership wasn't just about seeking "tolerance"; it was a radical demand for the right to exist in public spaces without fear of state violence.