“Is there so much love in the world that we can afford to discriminate against any kind of love?”
–Mychal F. Judge on the church’s stance against LGBTQ people, unknown.
It’s June, which means it’s the time of year when we celebrate Pride month. The LGBTQIA+ community has a long and robust history. In honor of celebrating Pride Month this June, this blog is dedicated to the stories of some of the community’s most recognized heroes, how they fought for their rights, and providing a brief history, because the LGBTQIA+ community has always been here. In addition to this, we will also elaborate on why access to beauty care is so important for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Activists, Heroes, and Public Figures
Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera
Marsha P. Johnson, a drag queen, activist, and co-founder of S.T.A.R., was one of the many LGBTQIA+ individuals at the Stonewall Uprising, a series of protests and riots followed by a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City. She infamously threw a shot glass and exclaimed, “I got my civil rights!” Johnson, along with her close friend Sylvia Rivera, co-founded the S.T.A.R (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) house, where they provided food, clothing, family, and a safe space for young drag queens, trans women, and queer youth.
Sylvia Rivera, a drag queen, activist, and co-founder of S.T.A.R., was a participant in the Stonewall Uprising and a fearless activist for gay and trans-specific legislation. She fought for the “Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act”, “New York City Transgender Rights Bill”, and for a trans-inclusive “New York State Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act”. She also spoke against organizations that undermined transgender people, people of color, and drag queens. She often felt as though drag queens were overlooked in the fight for equality.
Mark Bingham and Mychal F. Judge, O.F.M.
Mark Bingham, a public relations executive and gay rugby league player, was aboard flight United 93, where four terrorists hijacked the airplane’s cockpit. Bingham was aware of the two other planes that had been deliberately crashed into the World Trade Center and was captured on audio with other passengers planning to retake the plane. The terrorists intentionally crashed the aircraft during the struggle. The sacrifice of Mark and the passengers likely saved the lives of thousands.
Mychal F. Judge, O.F.M., was an openly gay Friar. With his overwhelming compassion for humanity, he was dedicated to finding homes for immigrants and unhoused people, working to change religious doctrine on the LGBTQIA+ community, and praying with AIDS patients. He was serving as an FDNY Chaplain on September 11th, 2001, when he tragically passed away while praying with and caring for victims in the lobby of One World Trade Center. He is known as ‘The Saint of 9/11’.
Leonard Matlovich and Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
“When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one.”
– A Gay Vietnam Veteran, Leonard Matlovich’s epitaph in Washington, DC, 1988
Leonard Matlovich was a Vietnam War veteran and race relations instructor. He was the first serviceman in the US military to come out as gay and was featured on the cover of a 1975 Time Magazine issue, a historic moment. In addition to being the first time an LGBTQIA+ person was featured on the cover of a national magazine, the piece in which he was featured challenged the military ban on gay soldiers. He was forced to resign from his position in the US military but was honorably discharged due to his accomplishments. He went on to become an activist for the LGBTQIA+ community and for HIV/AIDS.
Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben was a Major General, writer, and Chief of Staff to President George Washington. He is known as the father of the U.S. military, and it is widely thought that without his leadership, America might still be the British Colonies. Baron von Steuben, whose previous career in Prussia had ended due to his sexual orientation, was highly accredited and vouched for by Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. The president felt as though his private life was irrelevant to his military qualifications.
A Notable Event in LGBTQIA+ History
The Great March
On October 11th, 1987, at the National Mall in Washington, DC, history was made. Steve Ault and Joyce Hunter, a year earlier, had planned to hold an event for their successful 1979 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. With prejudice against the community at an all-time high, the pair felt as though a new march could bring the movement to a national level. Thus, the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights was held. The march contained many acts of civil disobedience, mass weddings, and the reveal of the AIDS Quilt. The march also brought attention to the bisexual community due to its massive national outreach and size. Robert Eichberg and Jean O’Leary established October 11th as National Coming Out Day to commemorate the event. October also became LGBT History Month soon after. This was a major event in the community’s history.
Why Gender Affirming Beauty Care is Important
Access to beauty care for individuals in the LGBTQIA+ community is a vital and prominent part of their journey. Gender-affirming aesthetics are non-minimal or minimally invasive procedures that help individuals align their outward appearance with their internal identity. Things such as clothing, makeup, hair care, and hair removal help alleviate gender dysphoria. Individuals who identify as transgender or are gender-nonconforming may seek gender affirming beauty care.
Why We Celebrate Pride
At Waxi Taxi, Pride is celebrated throughout the year, not just for a month. In intimate settings such as a waxing studio, providing a safe environment for patrons of any sex, gender, or sexual orientation is a priority. We are proud to be an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community, and we believe that waxing, beauty, and self-care are for everybody. Our commitment to inclusivity is something we aim to achieve all year round, not just in June. Happy Pride Month!
