The relationship between the transgender community and broader LGBTQ+ culture is not one of simple inclusion, but of dialectical tension. Historically, the movement has oscillated between marginalizing trans people to gain acceptance for cisgender homosexuals and embracing trans liberation as the vanguard of the queer struggle.

To understand the current cultural dynamic, one must look to the "homophile" movements of the mid-20th century. Early gay rights organizations often catered to cisgender, often white, men and women seeking to prove their normalcy and assimilation into heterosexual society. During this era, gender non-conformity was often viewed as a liability—a hindrance to the argument that gay people were "just like everyone else."

: The 1969 Stonewall Uprising, often cited as the spark for the modern movement, was led by transgender women of color like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera .

: Although trans people have existed throughout history, the term "transgender" gained popular usage in the 1960s and 1970s, gradually replacing more clinical or derogatory labels as part of a push for self-determination. Intersections of Identity and Culture