Sylvia Rivera
Sylvia Rivera | |
|---|---|
Rivera, in the "gay camp" at the Christopher Street Piers c. 2000 | |
| Born | July 2, 1951 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | February 19, 2002 (aged 50) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Activist, Caterer, Entertainer |
| Known for | Gay liberation, transgender activist, advocate for the homeless. |
Sylvia Rivera (July 2, 1951 – February 19, 2002) was an American gay liberation and transgender rights activist who was also a noted community worker in New York. Rivera, who identified as a drag queen for most of her life and later as a transgender person, participated in demonstrations with the Gay Liberation Front.
With close friend Marsha P. Johnson, Rivera co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), a group dedicated to helping homeless young drag queens, gay youth, and trans women.