Black Trans Woman Heckled, Nearly Arrested at Stonewall Inn

By N. Jamiyla Chisholm Jul 01, 2019

A Black trans woman who wanted to honor her slain sisters at New York City’s The Stonewall Inn in the early hours of the 50th anniversary (June 28) of the Stonewall Uprising was reportedly threatened by White gay men at the bar, Reuters reported Sunday (June 30).

The story first came to light via a video posted on Facebook several hours after the incident. In the video, Leada Stray says that the woman asked for the microphone during a drag show and addressed the predominantly White audience. 

Per Stray, the woman—who wishes to remain anonymous—said, “Where’s your rage? One in three Black trans women will contract HIV/AIDS. Where’s your rage? That Black trans women are the most marginalized of our community.”

“And the bar’s saying, ‘Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!’ On the Anniversary of Stonewall, the bar is trying to shut up a Black trans woman,” Stray continues. “The bar tried to play music over top of her. They tried to take the microphone away from her physically. They got security involved. There was talk of calling the cops. Calling the cops! On a Black trans woman, in the Stonewall Inn! On the Anniversary of Pride! White people, we are not doing enough if this is what’s going on!”

Another person who was present tweeted that the woman “read the names of the Black trans women who died. Facts about them. Their obituaries. She called on everyone in the bar to help.” The tweet sparked support, and pushback, from Twitter users about the way transgender people are treated within the greater LGBTQ+ community.

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