GLAAD AMPLIFIES VOICES AGAINST REMOVAL OF TRANS PEOPLE, HISTORY FROM PARK SERVICE WEBSITE

(New York, NY – February 15, 2025) – GLAAD, the world’s leading LGBTQ media advocacy organization, is amplifying the voices of leaders and allies who yesterday gathered at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City to protest the Trump Administration’s removal of transgender and queer Americans from the Stonewall National Monument official government website.

The online announcement for the protest described its purpose: “NO LGB WITHOUT THE T. The Trump Administration has erased trans people from the stonewall national monument website… we will not allow Trump and his hatemongers to redefine our communities or our history!”

The rally was hosted by Jay W. Walker, a co-founder of the Reclaim Pride Coalition. Some of the speakers included:

• Erik Bottcher, NYC City Council Member for District 3
• Brad Hoylman-Sigal, New York State Senator
• Dr. Carla Smith, CEO of the NYC LGBTQ Community Center
• Marti Gould Cummings, board member of Equality New York
• Angelica Christina, trans activist and board member of the Stonewall Gives Back Initiative
• Cathy Marino Thomas, board member of the Gilbert Baker Foundation 
• Jason Rosenberg, activist with the Gender Liberation Movement

Statement from Stacy Lentz (Stacy@stonewallinitiative.org), The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative CEO and Co-Owner of The Stonewall Inn:

“The Stonewall Inn and The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative are outraged and appalled by the recent removal of the word ‘transgender’ from the Stonewall National Monument page on the National Park Service website. This blatant act of erasure not only distorts the truth of our history, but it also dishonors the immense contributions of transgender individuals — especially transgender women of color — who were at the forefront of the Stonewall Riots and the broader fight for LGBTQ+ rights. 

“Let us be clear: Stonewall is transgender history. Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and countless other trans and gender-nonconforming individuals fought bravely, and often at great personal risk, to push back against oppressive systems. Their courage, sacrifice, and leadership were central to the resistance we now celebrate as the foundation of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

“This decision to erase the word ‘transgender’ is a deliberate attempt to erase our history and marginalize the very people who paved the way for many victories we have achieved as a community. It is a direct attack on transgender people, especially transgender women of color, who continue to face violence, discrimination, and erasure at every turn.

“We demand the immediate restoration of the word ‘transgender’ on the Stonewall National Monument website. We will not stand by while the legacies of our transgender siblings are erased from the history books. The Stonewall Inn and The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative stands unwaveringly in solidarity with the transgender community and all who fight for full equality, and we will not rest until this grave injustice is corrected.”

Statement from the Stonewall National Monument Visitors Center, an independent and queer owned non-profit venue located across the street from the Stonewall National Monument – owned by Pride Live and unaffiliated with the monument or National Park Service – slamming the change to the agency’s website:

“Pride Live is a non-profit organization founded on the principle of advancing the fight for full LGBTQIA+ equality. Through the creation of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, we’re unwavering in our effort to protect and preserve Stonewall’s legacy and history. Our space is inextricably linked with and honors the brave pioneers, especially transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals, who led the Stonewall Rebellion. 

“Independently owned and operated, and 100% supported by donations, we will continue our mission to ensure that every person has access to learn about and see themselves in history.”

Statement from a GLAAD Spokesperson: “The decision to change “LGBTQ+” to “LGB” on the Stonewall National Monument page is yet another example of the Trump administration’s blatant attempts to discriminate against and erase the legacies of transgender and queer Americans. The Stonewall Uprising – a monumental moment in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights – would not have happened without the leadership of transgender and gender non-conforming people. The tireless work of Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and countless other trans women of color paved the way and continue to inspire us. You can try to erase our history, but we will never forget those who came before us and we will continue to fight for all those who will come after us.”

Additional background for reporters:

• The Stonewall Inn bar is the site of the 1969 riots that launched the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Stonewall National Monument is the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights and history. President Barack Obama designated it as a national monument on June 24, 2016 during LGBTQ+ Pride month. 
• The anti-LGBTQ action from the National Park Service is the latest in a list of anti-LGBTQ actions from the Trump Administration. On his first day in office, he signed an executive order targeting LGBTQ Americans around what he described as “gender ideology extremism.”
• The opening text of the Stonewall National Monument website used to read: “Before the 1960s, almost everything about living openly as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ+) person was illegal. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the quest for LGBTQ+ civil rights and provided momentum for a movement.”
  • What used to be correctly listed as LGBTQ+ was changed to ‘LGB’.
  • “Transgender or queer” were removed along with the “TQ+” part of the LGBTQ+ acronym from the opening text as well as a link to a resource on ‘LGBTQ+ flags.’

GLAAD has tracked more than 227 attacks by President Trump and his administration on LGBTQ people through its GLAAD Accountability Tracker.