This review examines the relationship between the transgender community and the broader LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) culture, analyzing their historical ties, points of tension, and evolving identity.

The most cited catalyst for gay liberation is the Stonewall Uprising of 1969 in New York City. While mainstream history often focuses on gay men, the vanguard of the resistance included transgender activists and drag queens like Marsha P. Johnson (a self-identified drag queen, transvestite, and gay liberationist) and Sylvia Rivera (a founder of the Gay Liberation Front who fought tirelessly for trans inclusion). Rivera’s famous rallying cry, "Gay Power!," was always delivered with an asterisk: she fought vehemently against the mainstream gay movement’s tendency to abandon drag queens and trans people to appease heterosexual society.

Despite shared history, the relationship between the transgender community and the broader LGBTQ+ culture is not without friction. In recent years, a small but vocal minority of cisgender gay men and lesbians have aligned with anti-trans movements under the banner of "LGB drop the T" or "gender-critical" feminism.