It's the last day of LGBT+ History Month in the UK, but don't worry - Trans+ History Week is coming up in the spring. Besides, you can learn about LGBTQ+ history all year round.
A really good place to start learning is by visiting Adventures in Time and Gender: there's a podcast series plus some great articles. Check out https://adventuresintimeandgender.org/
It's the last day of LGBT+ History month and it's important to remember that people are making LGBTQ+ history every single day.
In 2023, Henry Tse and another trans man won a court case that led to trans people in Hong Kong being able to change their ID card without having had surgery.
In the Mahabharata, an ancient Sanskrit text, Shikhandi was transformed from a princess to a man. In some versions this is via reincarnation, in others it’s within the same lifetime.
Read more: https://www.hinduamerican.org/blog/shikhandi-the-mahabharatas-transgender-warrior
Have you ever heard of Public Universal Friend? In 1776 they had a spiritual awakening and announced that they were neither male nor female and changed their name to Public Universal Friend. They were a preacher who travelled through the USA, preaching about their spiritual awakening.
Transgender people have always been around in society. Willmer ‘Little Ax’ Broadnax was a popular gospel singer in the 1940s. People only found out that he was transgender following his death.
You can read more about Little Ax at http://www.blackrevolutionarytheatreworkshop.org/bhm-heroes-willmer-little-ax-broadnax/
It's LGBT+ History Month in the UK, so Eldorado: Everything the Nazis Hate would be a timely weekend watch. It's a documentary about the Eldorado club, a safe space for LGBTQ+ people in 1920s Berlin.
You'll find the trailer at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYDQvvkXJ1I
For more entertainment recommendations, check out our (ever growing) library: http://transactual.org.uk/entertainment/
Are you planning to change your name? Do you want some more info on your different options and how to go about it? Join us for a free Name Change workshop on 3rd March at 6:30pm (via Zoom).
Sign up for this workshop (or one of our later dates) here: https://form.typeform.com/to/n47vyAzR
This workshop is for UK based trans people who are over 18.
Self-determination for trans people is nothing new. Sir Ewan Forbes changed the sex on his birth certificate in the 1940s, announced his new name in the newspaper and legally married his wife. His cousin challenged the change for reasons of inheritance, but the judge ruled in Ewan’s favour.
If you want to know more about Ewan, there's a great book about him: The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes by Zoë Playdon.
Changing your name is exciting, but it does come with an awful lot of admin. If you're about to take the plunge, are 18+, UK based, and want more info, come along to our free online workshop on Monday 3rd March. It's at 6:30-8:30pm, via Zoom.
Sign up for this workshop (or one of our later dates) here: https://form.typeform.com/to/n47vyAzR
We’re running a free Name Change workshop on 3rd March at 6:30pm, via Zoom, for trans over 18s in the UK. Come along to find out how to change your name, how to handle common problems with name changes, and how to update all the different organisations that need to know about your new name.
Sign up at: https://form.typeform.com/to/n47vyAzR
Jacqueline Charlotte Dufresnoy (otherwise known as Coccinelle) was a French entertainer and activist. She began hormone treatment in 1952 and was one of the first people to undergo gender confirming surgery. Her marriage set the precedent that allowed trans people in France to legally marry.
Find out more about Coccinelle and other awesome trans women from history at: https://www.autostraddle.com/10-lesser-known-trans-women-pioneers-from-history-316582/
Jazzie Collins was a Black, trans, HIV+ woman. Her campaigning and organizing highlights the way in which so many of our struggles are linked. Jazzie campaigned on economic inequality, housing issues, disability rights and trans rights.
Read more about Jazzie: https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/jazzie-collins-s-f-transgender-activist-dies-4663968.php
You don't need us to tell you that trans, non-binary and gender nonconforming people have always been around. However, did you know that the ancient Mesopotamians believed in a deity with the power to change someone's gender? Her name was Innana and her priests and followers were known for their rejection of gender binaries.
#TransHistory #LGBTHM (nearly) #QueerHistory #LGBTQHistory #LGBTQIA #LGBTQ #Trans #Nonbinary
Yes we know it's not quite February, but we love our history Thursdays here at TransActual.
If you've not heard of Lou Sullivan, look him up. He was a gay, HIV positive, trans man and he did a huge amount for our community in the US and beyond. Lou lobbied for gay, trans men to be given access to medical transition. He was visible so that other gay, trans men could see that they weren’t alone.
#TransHistory #LGBTHM (nearly) #QueerHistory #LGBTQHistory #LGBTQIA #LGBTQ #Trans #Nonbinary
It's nearly LGBT History Month, but at TransActual we love our history so we're getting started early!
First a film star:
Hanan El Tawil was an Egyptian actress and is thought to be the first openly trans Arab woman to be in films and TV.
#TransHistory #LGBTHM (nearly) #QueerHistory #LGBTQHistory #Trans #Transgender #Nonbinary #LGBTQIA #LGBTQ
