Random Most Famous Trans People from History (24 items)

• (#20) Billy Tipton

  • Dec. at 75 (1914-1989)

  Born in 1914, Tipton was a popular jazz musician who was assigned female at birth, but lived his life as a man. Though Tipton began, at an early age, to dress and act as a man, he initially lived for several years as a lesbian. Like many other transgender people of his time, Tipton kept his gender assignment at birth secret from all but his most intimate acquaintances, and it wasn't discovered until after his death.
• (#24) Sir Ewan Forbes, 11th Baronet

  • Dec. at 79 (1912-1991)

  Forbes's case is an interesting story. Assigned female at birth, Forbes legally re-registered as male in 1952. As a man, he stood to inherit his older brother's estate and titles, however, Forbes's cousin legally challenged the inheritance by insisting Forbes's legal gender was invalid.

  (This all happened under cover of great secrecy, though, in order to avoid a scandal that would reflect badly on the entire family.) Ultimately the judge decided Forbes's cousin was just being a crybaby, and awarded the baronetcy to Forbes as originally planned.
• (#19) Alan L. Hart

  • Dec. at 72 (1890-1962)

  Born in 1890, Hart was an accomplished radiologist and medical researcher, and was one of the first Americans to undergo a hysterectomy for the purpose of gender reassignment therapy. Hart pioneered the use of X-ray technology in tuberculosis screening, and his application of the technology helped to save thousands of lives. He was also a novelist and short story writer.
• (#14) Charley Parkhurst

  • Dec. at 67 (1812-1879)

  Born in 1812 and raised in an orphanage, Charley Parkhurst moved to California and became a stagecoach driver. Charley was assigned female at birth, but lived his life as a man, and was successful as a rancher, coach driver, and farmer. His gender assignment at birth was unknown to most of his friends and associates until after his death.
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  (#13) Christine Jorgensen

  • Dec. at 63 (1926-1989)

  Born in 1926, Christine Jorgensen is often cited as the first American woman to successfully undergo gender reassignment surgery. In reality, though hers was one of the earliest cases, Jorgensen's surgery followed on the heels of at least a few other people. She was, however, the first person to become widely recognized as a transgender woman, and was generally a good sport about giving interviews and responding gracefully to media interest.

  Jorgensen was a hot topic of debate in the news for many months following her transition, and inspired a slew of popular books and films (including, reportedly, cult director Ed Wood's infamously cheesy, Glen or Glenda?)
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  (#1) Chevalier d'Eon

  • Dec. at 82 (1728-1810)

  Born in 1728, the Chevalier d'Eon had an illustrious career as a French spy and diplomat. After spending roughly the first half of his life as a man, the Chevalier began appearing at Queen Elizabeth's court dressed as a woman, claiming to have been assigned female at birth, and demanding to be recognized as such by the French government (an autopsy following the Chevalier's death showed the Chevalier had in fact been assigned male at birth).

  The Chevalier was such a well-known figure that the term "eonism" enjoyed a brief vogue as a descriptor for those displaying transgender or genderfluid characteristics.

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