: Trans women of color, most notably Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera , were at the vanguard of the riots in New York City. Evolution of LGBTQ Culture

The inclusion of "transgender" as a distinct part of the LGBTQ identity was a gradual process: Writing about Gender and Sexuality - Hamilton College

Transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals led many of the earliest revolts against police harassment, which eventually catalyzed the gay rights movement:

: In San Francisco’s Tenderloin, trans women and drag queens protested ongoing harassment, an event now recognized as a precursor to the modern movement.

The transgender community has been a driving force behind the modern LGBTQ+ movement, though its history is often marked by both leadership and exclusion within the broader culture. A Foundation of Resistance

: One of the first recorded instances where trans people and drag queens fought back against targeted police arrests in Los Angeles.