INTRODUCTION: REWRITING THE NARRATIVE

The Issues
Pop History
Trans Before Gender
Lessons from Lost Trans History


The Brothers: Mark and David Ferrow
The Outlaw: Effie Smith
The Singer: Masoud El Amaratly
The Shoemaker: Ray Leonard
The Lover: Mabel Stanley
The Girl Bandit: Emma Heinrich
The Horse Thief: Willie Ray


The Freed Woman: Sally-Tom
The Countess: Gerda von Zobeltitz
The Petitioner: Carl Crawford
The Runaway: Mollie Wilson
The Healer: Muksamse’lapli
The Pacifist: Sadie Acosta
The Community Leader: Georgia Black
The Guardian: Okiyo
The Professor: Maude Milbourne

THE WORKERS

The Maid: Josephine Robinson
The Cobra Woman: Elsie Marks
The Dancer: Albín Pleva
The Florist: John Berger
The Butler: Alfred Grouard
The Craftswoman: Ann Storcy
The Boy-of-All-Work: Frank Williams


The Billiardist: Frances Anderson
The Matador: Agustín Rodríguez
The Pentathlete: Stefan Pekar
The Wrestler: Bill Winters
The Teammates: Léon Caurla and Pierre Brésolles

CONCLUSION: A NEW GENDER HISTORY
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
NOTES
INDEX

“Brilliant . . . [A]n essential and eye-opening paradigm shift.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Erlick powerfully—and compellingly—argues that it’s not the existence of transgender people that’s new; what’s new is the anxiety around them.” —Library Journal

“[A] riveting, compassionate collection of life stories . . . The historical biographies collected in Before Gender show that, while society’s language about gender has changed, trans people have always been part of communities around the world—and that it’s crucial to get to know their stories.” —Foreword Reviews

“Not only have trans people always existed; we have always sought ways to live fuller and more authentic lives. Before Gender chronicles trans people from 1850 to 1950 growing up, working, falling in love, getting in trouble, playing sports, and building community as we’ve always done and always will do.” —Maia Kobabe, author of Gender Queer