Celebrated artist and scholar Tourmaline is set to release a landmark biography on Marsha P. Johnson, a trailblazer of queer liberation and an iconic figure in the Stonewall Uprising. Titled Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson, the book will be the first full-length exploration of Johnson’s life, her activism, artistry, and resilience. Talking about the book, Tourmaline said, “Marsha's been a guiding force of my life and work for so many years. Sharing that with the world is the deepest honor.” This biography builds on years of research, compiling film, photography, and press clippings that showcase Johnson’s powerful legacy. A pivotal yet often misunderstood figure, Johnson was, according to Tourmaline, “a true cultural innovator on a massive scale." She described how Johnson's strength shone in her defiance of social norms, whether on stage with The Cockettes' Angels of Light group or resisting police at Stonewall. Tourmaline added, "Marsha was one of the first, if not the first person, to physically resist the police that night.” She also explained that the subtitle of the book “Joy and Defiance” reflects Johnson's powerful outlook: “In joy lies your greatest clarity about how to navigate a big problem. She knew she deserved to be fully alive at any given moment. And she lived in such defiance to the norms and forms. You can’t separate that from her beauty.” Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson will be published by Tiny Reparations Books and is set to hit shelves on May 20, 2025, offering a deeper look at one of queer history’s most influential figures. In a time when bans on queer books are increasingly prominent, this book and Marsha’s life story are sure to reinvigorate queer culture. #Queer Up The USA View