SYLVIA AND MARSHA START A REVOLUTION!:
The Story of the Trans Women of Color Who Made LGBTQ+ History
Written by Joy Michael Ellison • Illustrated by Teshika Silver
Independent Bookstores
Reviewed by: Laurie L Young
Written by Joy Michael Ellison • Illustrated by Teshika Silver
Cover Design by Rosamund Bird
Picture Book • 32 pages
Jessica Kingsley Publishers • 2020
ISBN: 978-1-7877-5530-7
Through bright, fun, and energetic illustrations, the story of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera is simply and engagingly told. This kid-friendly version is a spirited, streamlined account of their lives and their work, focusing mostly on the good they did—and less on the troubles they faced.
Born poor and often homeless themselves, they endured abuse and arrest for dressing in women’s clothing and living as their authentic selves. Marsha and Sylvia were at the forefront of the Stonewall Rebellion in 1969, and even though there are differing versions of this event, it is presented here as a triumph, with Marsha taking the lead in the fight against the police.
After the Stonewall Rebellion, they opened their home to young transgender girls and created STAR, the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries, to help transgender youth get off the streets and have a place where they were acknowledged, accepted, and safe. They committed their lives to fighting for LGBTQ rights and demanded justice for everyone.
The author’s notes in the back of the book go more deeply into the biography of their lives, and include easy-to understand definitions of what it means to be transgender, non-binary, and gender fluid. There is also more history of the Stonewall Rebellion, which changed the way gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people were treated in the United States, and sparked demonstrations across the country that continue to this day.
This book is a great introduction to the history of LGBTQ rights in the United States, and also includes questions and discussion topics for parents and teachers, as well as a list of other resources and activities.
Buy this book:
Barnes & Noble
Bird Meets Worm Bookshop
Picture Book • 32 pages
Jessica Kingsley Publishers • 2020
ISBN: 978-1-7877-5530-7
Through bright, fun, and energetic illustrations, the story of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera is simply and engagingly told. This kid-friendly version is a spirited, streamlined account of their lives and their work, focusing mostly on the good they did—and less on the troubles they faced.
Born poor and often homeless themselves, they endured abuse and arrest for dressing in women’s clothing and living as their authentic selves. Marsha and Sylvia were at the forefront of the Stonewall Rebellion in 1969, and even though there are differing versions of this event, it is presented here as a triumph, with Marsha taking the lead in the fight against the police.
After the Stonewall Rebellion, they opened their home to young transgender girls and created STAR, the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries, to help transgender youth get off the streets and have a place where they were acknowledged, accepted, and safe. They committed their lives to fighting for LGBTQ rights and demanded justice for everyone.
The author’s notes in the back of the book go more deeply into the biography of their lives, and include easy-to understand definitions of what it means to be transgender, non-binary, and gender fluid. There is also more history of the Stonewall Rebellion, which changed the way gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people were treated in the United States, and sparked demonstrations across the country that continue to this day.
This book is a great introduction to the history of LGBTQ rights in the United States, and also includes questions and discussion topics for parents and teachers, as well as a list of other resources and activities.
Buy this book:
Barnes & Noble
Bird Meets Worm Bookshop
Independent Bookstores
Reviewed by: Laurie L Young