A Powerful Protest Against Erasure: The Stonewall National Monument Controversy
On a crisp Friday in New York City, Christopher Park became a hub of resilience and defiance as hundreds of protesters gathered to voice their outrage over the removal of the words “transgender” and “queer” from the National Park Service’s website for the Stonewall National Monument. The protest was a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for visibility and recognition within the LGBTQ+ community. Demonstrators carried rainbow and transgender flags, waved signs with powerful messages like “Silence = Death” and “Erasure is Annihilation,” and wrote “You can’t erase us” in chalk on the pavement surrounding the park. The removal of these terms from the website of a landmark that symbolizes the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement has sparked widespread anger and frustration, with many viewing it as an attempt to erase the contributions of transgender individuals to the fight for equality.
The Stonewall National Monument, located in Greenwich Village, holds immense historical significance as the site of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a pivotal moment in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. The uprising was largely spearheaded by transgender activists, including Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, who played crucial roles in the riots that followed a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar that served as a refuge for marginalized LGBTQ+ individuals. Today, the monument and its surrounding area, including Christopher Park, are a testament to the courage and resilience of those who fought for their rights in the face of systemic oppression. However, the recent decision to remove “transgender” and “queer” from the National Park Service’s website has been met with disbelief and anger, as it seeks to erase the very identities that were central to the Stonewall Uprising and its legacy.
The demonstration in Christopher Park was not just a reaction to the removal of words from a website; it was a call to action to protect the history and rights of transgender individuals. Longtime volunteers at the Stonewall Monument, such as Steven Love Menendez, emphasized the integral role that transgender people have always played in the LGBTQ+ community. Menendez expressed his outrage at the federal government’s attempt to “erase trans from our community,” calling it nonsensical and harmful. The protest also drew the support of local politicians, including Rep. Jerry Nadler and New York City Council member Erik Bottcher, who spoke passionately about the need to stand up for transgender rights and preserve the truth of LGBTQ+ history. Bottcher’s plea for cisgender members of the community to support their transgender counterparts highlighted the importance of unity in the face of discrimination.
For many protesters, the removal of “transgender” and “queer” from the website is part of a broader pattern of attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, particularly under President Donald Trump’s administration. In recent weeks, Trump has issued executive orders targeting the transgender community, including bans on transgender individuals serving in the military, participating in women’s sports, and accessing gender-affirming care for minors. These measures have been widely condemned by activists and legal experts, who argue that they not only violate the rights of transgender individuals but also undermine the progress made in recent decades. The Stonewall Inn, now a symbol of pride and resistance, released a statement condemning the erasure of transgender history, calling it a distortion of the truth and a dishonor to the contributions of transgender women of color who were at the forefront of the Stonewall Riots.
Despite the challenges, the protest in Christopher Park was a testament to the resilience and determination of the LGBTQ+ community. Speakers like 17-year-old Lorelei Crean, a high school junior who identifies as transgender, shared their personal stories of struggle and defiance. Crean, who has an “X” gender marker on their government documents, emphasized that the federal government’s attempts to erase transgender identities would not succeed. “I as a child know who I am,” Crean declared. “And Donald Trump’s administration is not going to strip that from me.” Other speakers, including transgender actress and activist Angelica Christina, echoed this sentiment, vowing that the transgender community would not be silenced or erased. “Trans folks will not go quietly into the night,” Christina said. “We will not cower, nor will we surrender to hatred and bigotry. We will persevere.”
The Stonewall National Monument remains a powerful symbol of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, and its website should reflect the full and accurate history of the community it represents. The removal of “transgender” and “queer” from the website is not just an act of erasure; it is an attack on the very values of justice and equality that the monument was established to honor. As Rep. Nadler noted, the website should serve as a platform to tell the story of LGBTQ+ resistance, including the contributions of transgender individuals, for generations to come. The protest in Christopher Park was a reminder that the fight for visibility, recognition, and equality is far from over. The transgender community, along with its allies, will continue to resist efforts to erase their identities and their history, ensuring that their voices are heard and their contributions are acknowledged. As the protesters so powerfully declared, “You can’t erase us.” And they won’t let anyone try.
