The annual Pride parade is the most visible expression of LGBTQ culture. In recent years, a schism has emerged: corporate-sponsored, sanitized Pride marches (featuring police floats and bank booths) versus the radical, reclaim-the-streets Trans Pride marches. Many trans activists argue that Pride has lost its revolutionary edge. They point to the exclusion of sex workers, the banning of political signs, and the over-policing of events. In response, Trans Marches have sprung up independently, reminding the world that Pride was a riot, not a festival.
Despite this shared history, the transgender experience is distinct from that of LGB individuals. The central focus for transgender people is —one's internal sense of being male, female, a blend of both, or neither—rather than sexual orientation (who one is attracted to). A trans woman may be straight, lesbian, bisexual, or asexual; her gender identity is separate from her orientation.
The future of queer culture is trans-inclusive, or it is nothing at all. The T is not silent. It never was. And if you listen closely, it is singing the loudest.