Much of modern LGBTQ culture was forged in the fires of the 1960s civil rights movements, where transgender women of color were instrumental in events like the Stonewall Uprising.

If you’ve ever looked at the LGBTQ+ acronym and wondered why the “T” sits right there in the middle—sandwiched between L, G, B, and the ever-expanding “+”—you’re not alone. For decades, there have been misguided attempts to sever that “T” from the rest. But to understand LGBTQ culture is to understand that transgender people haven’t just been included in this community—they’ve been essential to building it.

Today, when you see trans models on runways or hear mainstream rap lyrics referencing “ballroom culture,” you are seeing the echo of a community that refused to be invisible.