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Before Gender
Lost Stories from Trans History, 1850-1950
Author:
Eli Erlick
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Available soon to download:
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Libro.fm
An expansive exploration of the exciting lives of 30 trans people from 1850-1950 that radically changes everything you’ve been told about transgender history
Focusing on 30 influential individuals who are all but unknown today, activist, writer, and educator Eli Erlick highlights how trans people of the past were much more vibrant, creative, and respected than in the popular imagination. These remarkable stories range from romance to rebellion and mystery to murder, all exploring the grit, joy, and survival of trans people before the word gender entered our vocabulary. Together, each narrative provides new insights into the self-determination of transgender figures that will change the world for trans people today.
Organized in 4 parts, each section corresponds to today’s controversies over gender identity:
Kids
features 7 stories of young trans people, including brothers Mark and David Ferrow, who became 2 of the first children to access transgender medical treatment following overwhelming support from their friends, family, and neighbors.
Activists
follows 9 influential individuals, like
Sally-Tom
, a trans woman recently freed from slavery, who won the first known government approval for a legal change of sex, and
Gerda von Zobeltitz
, a trans countess who instigated a forgotten LGBTQ+ riot 40 years before Stonewall.
Workers
tracks the lives of 7 figures like snake charmer
Elise Marks
and florist
John Berger
, who were forced to hide their trans status to find employment, love, and safety.
Athletes
highlights 5 competitors, including the world’s greatest female billiards player of the 1910s, trans woman
Francis Anderson
.
Bold and visionary, Erlick’s debut lifts these stories from the depths of the archives to narrate trans lives in a way that has never been attempted before.
Goodreads reviews
ISBN:
978-080701825-5
Publication Date:
5/27/2025
Size: x
Price:
$28.00
Format:
Audio
Availability:
In stock.
Other Retailers:
Audio
Also Available In:
Cloth
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Transgender Voices