The National Park Service’s updated website language has shortened LGBTQ+ to LGB, inviting backlash from activists and community leaders.
Transgender Erasure Sparks Outrage at Stonewall National Monument
Transgender Erasure Sparks Outrage at Stonewall National Monument
References to transgender individuals were removed from the Stonewall National Monument's website in a move met with fierce protest.
The Trump administration has stirred significant controversy by stripping transgender references from the national monument website, a reported action taken to align with an executive order recognizing only two sexes—male and female. The Stonewall National Monument, located across from the iconic Stonewall Inn in New York City, is celebrated as the first national monument honoring LGBTQ+ history and was established following the landmark 1969 Stonewall riots.
In response to the changes, activists rallied at the monument, signaling their anger and refusal to accept the erasure of transgender voices from the narrative of LGBTQ+ rights. Stacy Lentz, co-owner of the Stonewall Inn, encouraged community support through an Instagram post, emphasizing, "There is no Pride without Trans folks leading that fight!"
Previously, the National Park Service’s website framework included the full LGBTQ+ acronym. In contrast, the updated version now restricts the language to just LGB, actively diminishing the history of transgender individuals’ contributions to the civil rights movement. While some references to transgender history persist, the main change has sparked outrage among advocates.
In a joint statement, the Stonewall Inn and the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative condemned the modifications, asserting that this "blatant act of erasure" warps historical accuracy and undermines the sacrifices made by transgender individuals. New York Governor Kathy Hochul described the alteration as "cruel and petty."
The protests featured prominent signage, with messages aimed at the National Park Service, one of which noted, "you can't spell history without a T." The 7.7-acre monument, which was declared a national monument by former President Barack Obama in 2016, continues to be a critical site for dialogues around LGBTQ+ history and rights.
As the community stands united against these changes, the fight for inclusive representation and acknowledgment within history remains at the forefront of the discourse.
In response to the changes, activists rallied at the monument, signaling their anger and refusal to accept the erasure of transgender voices from the narrative of LGBTQ+ rights. Stacy Lentz, co-owner of the Stonewall Inn, encouraged community support through an Instagram post, emphasizing, "There is no Pride without Trans folks leading that fight!"
Previously, the National Park Service’s website framework included the full LGBTQ+ acronym. In contrast, the updated version now restricts the language to just LGB, actively diminishing the history of transgender individuals’ contributions to the civil rights movement. While some references to transgender history persist, the main change has sparked outrage among advocates.
In a joint statement, the Stonewall Inn and the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative condemned the modifications, asserting that this "blatant act of erasure" warps historical accuracy and undermines the sacrifices made by transgender individuals. New York Governor Kathy Hochul described the alteration as "cruel and petty."
The protests featured prominent signage, with messages aimed at the National Park Service, one of which noted, "you can't spell history without a T." The 7.7-acre monument, which was declared a national monument by former President Barack Obama in 2016, continues to be a critical site for dialogues around LGBTQ+ history and rights.
As the community stands united against these changes, the fight for inclusive representation and acknowledgment within history remains at the forefront of the discourse.
