10 amazing trans women you didn't learn about in history class

While those interested in LGBTQ+ history are becoming more aware of important figures in transgender history (like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Lili Elbe) through films that chronicle their lives, there were so many trans women who fought for their rights and happiness but who were never covered in history class. Here are five women who broke major ground and deserve a spot in the curriculum.

Today we are correcting this oversight by highlighting 10 such trans women.

Lucy Hicks Anderson

Lucy Hicks Anderson hosted elaborate parties for the rich and ran a brothel that provided liquor during Prohibition. Her connections to wealthy and powerful residents helped her skirt the law. When residents found out she was a trans woman, her marriage was challenged, and Anderson became an early pioneer in the fight for marriage equality when she became the first trans person to go to court to fight for her rights. In a time when trans people were nearly invisible, Anderson came out in childhood, and her parents raised her as a girl.

Jacqueline Charlotte Dufresnoy (Coccinelle)

Best known by her stage name, Coccinelle, Jaqueline Charlotte Dufresnoy was a French actress, club singer, and activist. Her transition was one of the first widely publicized gender confirmation cases in Europe. After a career as an entertainer and appearing in the films Los Viciosos in 1962, and Días de Viejo Color in 1968, Coccinelle became an activist and founded “Devenir Femme” (To Become Woman), which provided support for those seeking gender confirmation surgery, and helped establish the Center for Aid, Research, and Information for Transsexuality and Gender Identity.

Tracy "Africa" Norman

Tracey Norman, who often went by Tracey Africa, is best known for being the first Black trans model. Norman appeared on a box of Clairol hair dye in the 1970s and landed a contract with Avon for a skincare line. In 1971, renowned photographer Irving Penn photographed Norman for Italian Vogue. She was also photographed for Essence in 1980, but when her transgender identity was discovered she was blacklisted in the United States.

She then moved to Paris and signed a six-month contract with Balenciaga. When it became more difficult to find modeling work, Norman began appearing in a burlesque peep show for trans women and became active in the ball community.

Reneé Richards

This professional US tennis player was breaking ground for trans rights in the 1970s. Richards, who prefers the label transsexual to transgender, was ranked sixth out of the top 20 male tennis players over 35 before she transitioned in 1975. When she was denied entry into the 1976 U.S. Open by the United States Tennis Association, she took her case to the New York Supreme Court, which ruled in her favor. After Judge Alfred M. Ascione ruled in Richards’ favor, she went on to the finals in doubles in her first U.S. Open in 1977. Richards also defeated Nancy Richey for the 35 and over singles title at the 1979 U.S. Open.

In addition to being a success on the court, Richards was a doctor who returned to her medical practice after retiring from tennis. She became the surgery director of ophthalmology and head of the eye-muscle clinic at the Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital. She also published two autobiographies. Her first autobiography, Second Serve, became the basis for the documentary film Renée.

Miss Major

Miss Major is a trans activist who has done everything from participating in the 1969 Stonewall riots to serving as the Executive Director for the Transgender Gender Variant Intersex Justice Project, which helps transgender people who are disproportionately incarcerated.

Miss Major was born in Chicago and became involved in the drag ball scene. She came out as a teenager in the 1950s. Miss Major also worked as an activist and caretaker in the San Francisco Bay Area during the AIDS epidemic, and later went on to work at the TGIJP.

Elegabulus

Elagabalus, Roman emperor and high priest of the sun god Elagabal, is one of history's earliest recorded trans women. Known for their love of makeup, jewelry, and feminine attire, they reportedly sought gender-affirming surgeries, asking physicians if it was possible to transition physically. Only recently, in 2023, a British museum reclassified the Roman emperor as a trans woman, updating pronouns and reflecting on the ancient ruler’s unapologetic queerness that makes them compelling in the conversation on historical trans identities.

Kalonymus ben Kalonymus

A Jewish philosopher and poet of the Middle Ages, Kalonymus ben Kalonymus left a poignant account of gender dysphoria in the poem Even Boḥan ("The Touchstone"). In this deeply personal text, they lament being born male and expressing a yearning to live as a woman. While societal constraints of the era prevented them from transitioning, Kalonymus's words resonate as an early testament to the existence of trans experiences.

Eleanor Rykener

Eleanor Ryekener, a trans woman in 14th-century England, is one of the few individuals whose gender identity is documented in medieval court records. Arrested in 1395 for "cross-dressing" and sex work, Eleanor's testimony revealed her adeptness at navigating life as a woman in a society hostile to her existence. Her story highlights the resilience of medieval trans people and offers a rare glimpse into a trans life lived centuries ago.

Chevalier d'Eon

The Chevalier d’Éon, a French diplomat, soldier, and spy, lived openly as a woman for the latter half of their life. D’Éon’s gender identity caused a sensation in 18th-century Europe, challenging societal norms of gender and performance. While some viewed their identity as a strategic disguise, d’Éon consistently asserted themselves as female, even securing royal recognition of their womanhood.

Mary Jones

Mary Jones, a Black trans woman in 19th-century New York, lived unapologetically true to herself despite systemic racism and transphobia. Her story became public attention in 1836 when she was arrested for alleged theft while living as a woman. The press sensationalized her case, describing her attire and gender expression in lurid detail, but Mary proudly defended her identity. Mary’s resilience in the face of hostility marks her as a powerful figure in trans history.