Y’ALL BETTER QUIET DOWN.
ANONYMOUS, MA UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS LONDON.
Y’all better quiet down Yells Sylvia Rivera To a crescendo of boos and jeers in New York City 1973 No love from the “overwhelmingly” white Gay Community or Women’s liberation movement She’s standing in her Puerto Rican transgender finery This brave LGBT civil rights pioneer white washed out of history Who formed Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries AKA STAR with her friend Marsha P. Johnson You can hear the fatigue in her voice 126 // PEEKABOO WE SEE YOU: WHITENESS
as she addresses the crowd After the rally she went home and tried to commit suicide Watching her confront an already oppressed group is draining Within the marginalised group is further marginalisation But you say those were different times I am reminded of my black gay male friend Who has been turned away from prominent gay clubs Because They think that he may be a drug dealer or he is mistaken for a security
