For much of early 20th-century Western history, transgender people (then often referred to under the medicalized term "transsexual") were often conflated with gay and lesbian people. Police raids, medical pathologization, and social ostracism affected both groups.

The relationship has been complex: one of solidarity, shared struggle, and at times, painful exclusion.

So, what does true inclusion look like? It moves beyond the performative and into the practical.

The transgender community has indelibly shaped queer art, activism, and language.