The term "transgender" was popularized in the 1960s and 1970s and gained widespread adoption in the 1990s as the acronym evolved from LGB to LGBTQ, cementing the inclusion of trans people in the broader community.

Trans women, particularly of color, were early leaders in the fight against police harassment in the US. Before Stonewall, trans activists fought back against police at Cooper Donuts in Los Angeles (1959) and Compton's Cafeteria in San Francisco (1966).

Despite their central role in early activism, trans people were often excluded from mainstream lesbian and gay rights movements in the 1970s.

Transgender and non-binary identities have been recognized throughout history, such as the baté of the Crow nation and Two-Spirit individuals in Indigenous cultures.