This wave of explicit anti-trans legislation had an unexpected effect: it forced a reunification of LGBTQ+ culture. Gay and lesbian organizations, remembering their own battles against similar bigotry, rallied behind trans rights with unprecedented vigor. Phrases like "Protect Trans Kids" and "Trans Rights are Human Rights" became mainstream LGBTQ+ slogans.

The rainbow flag, often seen as a blanket symbol of pride, masks a complex ecosystem of identities. While the "T" has been a staunch member of the LGBTQ+ acronym for decades, the relationship between the transgender community and mainstream LGBTQ+ culture is one of deep interdependence, occasional tension, and a powerful, evolving sense of solidarity.

In the 1960s and 70s, there was no strict division between "gay," "trans," and "genderqueer." They shared the same bars, faced the same police brutality, and were criminalized under the same "cross-dressing" laws. Early LGBTQ+ culture was, by necessity, a coalition of gender and sexual outlaws.