Standard Disclaimer: This page is a listing and links to news items regarding transgender persons from 1956. It is ordered by date of appearance in the news, not the date of the event. Note that the text summaries are not transcripts.
January 15, 1956. Boston Record American, page 15
A 16-year-old Japanese female track star has undergone surgery to become male. The implication of the article is that he was intersex, not transgender, but this is not known for certain.
March 3, 1956. Aberdeen SD Daily News, page 2
News from Haydon Bridge, England, reports that schoolteacher Olive Bury will return from the Easter break as Donald Oliver Bury. Headmaster Edward Waite showed strong support for Donald’s transition, stating “I intend to stand firmly by a teacher who has always given me loyal service.”
April 2, 1956. Baton Rouge Advocate, page 7A
News from Haydon Bridge, England, reports that schoolteacher Donald Oliver Bury, formerly Olive Bury, will receive a raise in salary as a result of their gender transition from female to male.
May 23, 1956. Baton Rouge State Times Advocate, page 5D
Popular female impersonator Ray Bourbon announced via their agent that they have undergone sexual reassignment surgery (SRS) to become a woman. The surgery was reported to take place in Juarez, Mexico, and is the first record I can find of SRS being performed in Mexico. Her surgeon, Dr. Emerik Szekley, from Hungary, is reportedly residing in Juarez to serve those seeking SRS. Ray has changed her name to Rae, and is having follow-up care with Dr. Vincent Revel of El Paso, Texas.
August 28, 1956. Rockford Illinois Register Republic, page 1
A short blurb states that former RAF pilot Roberta Cowell has passed the RAF examination for performing “experimental flying” with ease.
October 224, 1956. New Orleans Times-Picayune, page 27
A special academic dedication dinner at the University of Mississippi features a lecture by Dr. Bayard Carter, Duke University professor of obstetrics and gynecology, who spoke on the need for caring and compassionate treatment of transsexual patients.
