Marsha P. Johnson, Activist

Marsha was an outspoken transgender rights and LGBTQ+ liberation activist and prominent figure of the Stonewall uprising of 1969. Among her many accomplishments, Marsha helped form Street Transgender Action Revolutionaries (STAR), which provided housing and support to homeless queer youth and sex workers in Manhattan. Along with her activism, she performed with the drag performance troupe Hot Peaches from 1972 through the 90’s.

GLADYS BENTLEY, GENDER-BENDING PERFORMER

Bentley was a gender-bending performer during the Harlem Renaissance. Donning a top hat and tuxedo, Bentley would sing the blues in Harlem establishments like the Clam House and the Ubangi Club. According to a belated obituary published in 2019, The New York Times said Bentley, who died in 1960 at 52, was “Harlem’s most famous lesbian” in the 1930s and “among the best-known Black entertainers in the United States.” She was revolutionary in her masculinity: Differing from the traditional male impersonator, or drag king, in the popular theater, Gladys Bentley did not try to ‘pass’ as a man, nor did she playfully try to deceive her audience.

Freddie Mercury, Singer & Songwriter

Freddie Mercury is a well-known figure in the LGBTQ+ community and is often regarded as a gay icon. As the frontman of the rock band Queen, he has made a significant impact and has elevated the status of gay individuals. Though he did not actively participate in political activism for the LGBTQ+ community, his talent and stature as a gay man are enough to label him as an icon.

Mercury’s contribution to the community may have been minimal during his lifetime, but his existence alone is a statement. He is a legend in the music industry, with many considering him one of the greatest rock singers of all time. His talent proves that being gay does not diminish one’s abilities or make them less of a person.