This is actually a heavily edited version of her speech, cutting out all of her focus on the sexual violence that she and other queer folks, especially trans and GNC folks experienced at the time. She was angry that all of the white middle class queers that were managing and primarily attending the March were ignoring the massive amounts of state supported violence being directed towards lower class queers and especially queer POC. Cutting out her repeated mentions of rape to make the video more palatable is continuing to erase that violence. Watch/read the full version instead and acknowledge that this violence has barely slowed down today for trans folks. That our president issued an order to imprison trans women in men's prisons, directly ordering our justice system to ignore the Prison Rape Elimination Act as part of ensuring that those sexual violence against trans folks was perpetuated. Don't you fucking dare cut her words in the topic.
Here's the full transcript and an unedited video or her speech. Also, don't forget in your transcript that she spoke through boo's and jeers and that's why she had to tell them to quiet down to start. Those boo's died down as her speech continued and the crowd felt shame.
Sylvia: "Y’all better quiet down. I’ve been trying to get up here all day for your gay brothers and your gay sisters in jail that write me every motherfucking week and ask for your help and you all don’t do a goddamn thing for them.
Have you ever been beaten up and raped and jailed? Now think about it. They’ve been beaten up and raped after they’ve had to spend much of their money in jail to get their [inaudible], and try to get their sex changes. The women have tried to fight for their sex changes or to become women. On the women’s liberation and they write ‘STAR,’ not to the women’s groups, they do not write women, they do not write men, they write ‘STAR’ because we’re trying to do something for them.
I have been to jail. I have been raped. And beaten. Many times! By men, heterosexual men that do not belong in the homosexual shelter. But, do you do anything for me? No. You tell me to go and hide my tail between my legs. I will not put up with this shit. I have been beaten. I have had my nose broken. I have been thrown in jail. I have lost my job. I have lost my apartment for gay liberation and you all treat me this way? What the fuck’s wrong with you all? Think about that!
I do not believe in a revolution, but you all do. I believe in the gay power. I believe in us getting our rights, or else I would not be out there fighting for our rights. That’s all I wanted to say to you people. If you all want to know about the people in jail and do not forget Bambi L’amour, and Dora Mark, Kenny Metzner, and other gay people in jail, come and see the people at Star House on Twelfth Street on 640 East Twelfth Street between B and C apartment 14.
The people are trying to do something for all of us, and not men and women that belong to a white middle class white club. And that’s what you all belong to! "
REVOLUTION NOW! Gimme a ‘G’! Gimme an ‘A’! Gimme a ‘Y’! Gimme a ‘P’! Gimme an ‘O’! Gimme a ‘W’! Gimme an ‘E! Gim me an ‘R’! [crying] Gay power! Louder! GAY POWER!
