gayknight:

nitrosplicer:

angelescoffee:

nitrosplicer:

Reading wiki entries for historical trans men…

Dr. James Barry, Albert Cashier, Charley Parkhurst, Billy Tipton, and Dr. Alan Hart could have each written “I am a man and want to be recognized across history as such” and transphobes would still be like… “wow what misunderstood butch heroes… lesbian icons!!!!”

interesting how they… didn’t all write that. across history women have disguised themselves as men in order to escape misogyny cus u couldn’t get anywhere much in life (much less become successful doctors) as women. and anyways, of course a woman constrained by sexism would prefer to be given the privileges of a man. i can’t confirm these women were lesbians, but you cannot confirm they were transmen either. 

Interesting how… I didn’t argue that women haven’t disguised themselves throughout history. I mentioned specific instances of historical trans men for whom there is evidence to conclude they identified as men and not women. I said nothing against lesbians in my post either, only about transphobes.

Anyways: 

Dr. James Barry had a close relationship with Lord Charles Somerset and was subsequently accused of buggery, which led to a court trial and investigation as homosexuality was illegal. He could have revealed that he was female at any time during the trial to escape condemnation, but he did not. Upon his death, Barry left strict instructions that his body was not to be undressed and he was to be buried in his bedsheets. 

Albert Cashier could not read or write, but lived as a man for 53 years, even after fighting in the uniform of a Union soldier, he maintained his male dress and presentation until he slipped and fell, breaking his hip. 

The indomitable stagecoach driver Charlie Parkhurst lived as a man from the time he was 12, and after retiring, maintained his identity as a man until his death.

Also it’s interesting that you said that I could not undeniably prove any of these men were trans: Alan L Hart was undeniably trans, as he sought out medical transition and pyschotherapy for his gender dysphoria, referred to himself as “one of the fellows,” legally changed his name, lived as a man from a young age, and continued to do so until his death, so yeah, you really can’t say “oh he’s a lesbian,” can you?

while billy tipton might’ve initially identified as a lesbian, he later transitioned to presenting male full-time. he told his future female partners that he was a man and that his body was the result of a serious car accident. he went on to adopt children, and was known as a “good father”. at the age of 74, he refused to be seen by a doctor when he contracted emphysema, which caused his death. neither his later female partners or his children or friends seemed to know he was trans until he was forcefully outed at death

i’d also like to add

little ax broadnax, a gospel singer who performed in multiple quartets over the years with his older brother. while still living with his family, he was recorded in the US census as male. he was outed publicly as a trans man at death in 1992, having presented as male for over 60 years