This page contains miscellaneous historical images which currently do not have a page devoted to them. While many of these persons and subjects are certainly worthy of a page of their own, often there is not enough information available about them, or this is a work in progress.
Images are sorted by dates into different eras which I have created based upon my categorization of transgender history. Due to poor information about some of the persons and subjects, in many cases the dates are only estimates.
Please note that many images have a high-resolution version available by clicking the image itself.
The First Age: Before 1870
A painting by George Catlin titled “Dance to the Berdache”. This work depicts a sacred feast and dance given to honor a Native American which was known at the time as a berdache – in short, a transgender person who was revered by the tribe.
The Second Age: 1870-1929
1920: Music sheet cover for “Honolulu Eyes,” showing female impersonator Bert Erol.
Third Age: 1930-1951
1942: An advertisement for “Mr Tex Hendrix,” a female impersonator who appeared at the legendary Finnochios night club.
The Fourth Age: 1952-1958
The Fifth Age: 1959-1966
Crossdresser/drag queen “Frenchy,” a photo reportedly from Hamburg, Germany in 1960.
Manhattan Center, New York City, 26 October 1962: Two images from an incident where 44 cross-dressed persons (some of them transgender) were arrested by the New York police after the National Variety Artists Exotic Carnival and Ball was raided for “indecent exposure and masquerading.” Click on the two images below to see full-sized scans.
The performers of Le Carrousel, Paris, 1960-1964. April Ashley is in the center, third row.
Amanda Lear posing, mid-late 1960’s.
The Sixth Age: 1967-1979
1972: Billie Ert at their wedding, October 5, 1972. The wedding was the first same-sex wedding in Texas, and was later voided by the Texas Attorney General. The media publicity over the event led to Texas specifically banning same-sex marriage, and started a significant controversy over transgender rights. Ert identified as a cisgender drag queen for much of their life, but at times claimed they were transgender and non-op. The transgender community of the early 1970’s was reportedly torn between some who did not like the negative publicity, and others who felt the publicity was needed for change. There was also significant debate from some in the transgender community as to whether Ert and other drag queens should be considered part of the greater transgender community.
1972: Paula Grossman, a New Jersey music teacher who was suspended after her gender transition. She bravely fought in court and was denied because she was not considered to be a woman, thus her removal was not “sex discrimination.” She never worked as a teacher again, but fought for transgender rights and wrote a book about transition which is very difficult to find.
1973: Photo of unknown origin showing transgender persons or crossdressers posing with a security guard in Melbourne, Australia.
1978: From the back: “Members of the cast of Les Girls, the female impersonator revue at Kings Cross performed in front of the largest lunch time crowd in Martin Plaza today. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 3 August, 1978.
