During the assimilationist pushes of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, mainstream gay rights organizations occasionally sidelined or explicitly excluded transgender individuals. The goal was often to appear more palatable to conservative lawmakers, a strategy that left trans people vulnerable and erased their contributions to the movement.
The intersection of racism and transphobia creates disproportionate dangers. Black and Latine transgender women face alarming rates of fatal violence, housing insecurity, and employment discrimination compared to other segments of the LGBTQ+ community.
Popularized by the documentary Paris is Burning and the TV show Pose , Ballroom culture emerged in Harlem in the 1960s. Created by Black and Latinx queer and trans individuals who were excluded from white gay spaces, the balls offered a “house” system for found family. Categories like "Realness" (the ability to pass as cisgender and straight) directly explore the trans experience of navigating a dangerous world.