"Accounts of transgender people (including non-binary and third gender people) have been identified going back to ancient times in cultures worldwide."
The history of transgender people refers to the experiences of transgender individuals throughout time and across cultures.
Gender identity: Understanding the concept of gender identity and how it relates to transgender people.
Transgender terminology: Acquainting oneself with the various transgender terms, including transgender, non-binary, cisgender, genderqueer, and so on.
Native American Two-Spirit traditions: Exploring how Native American communities have traditionally recognized gender-variant individuals.
Gender across cultures and time periods: Comparing how gender roles and expressions have changed across different cultures and time periods.
Stonewall riots: Learning about the 1969 Stonewall riots, a pivotal event in the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
Transgender rights movement: Examining the development and history of the transgender rights movement, including prominent figures like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera.
Discrimination and violence: Understanding the profound discrimination, violence, and marginalization experienced by many transgender individuals.
Medicalization of transgender identities: Discussing the pros and cons of the medicalization of transgender identities, including the development of hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgeries.
Intersectionality: Exploring the intersectionality between different aspects of identity, such as race, ethnicity, class, and disability, and how this affects experiences of being transgender.
Pop culture representations: Analyzing representations of transgender individuals in pop culture, including films, TV shows, and music.
Transgender children: Examining how gender identity is experienced by children and the social, legal, and medical considerations for supporting transgender youth.
Global perspectives: Studying transgender history and experiences from a global perspective, including practices in non-Western countries and cross-cultural understandings of gender.
Gender non-conforming and non-binary perspectives: Understanding the perspectives and experiences of gender non-conforming and non-binary individuals, and how they relate to transgender identities.
Transgender aging and health: Exploring the unique challenges and needs of aging transgender individuals, and the ways in which healthcare professionals and caregivers can offer support.
The future of transgender rights: Examining the current state of transgender rights around the world, and considering the challenges and opportunities for further progress in the future.
"The modern terms and meanings of 'transgender', 'gender', 'gender identity', and 'gender role' only emerged in the 1950s and 1960s."
"In Ancient Greece, Phrygia, and Rome, there were galli priests that some scholars believe to have been trans women."
"Roman emperor Elagabalus (d. 222 AD) preferred to be called a lady (rather than a lord) and sought sex reassignment surgery, and in the modern day has been seen as a trans figure."
"Hijras on the Indian subcontinent and kathoeys in Thailand have formed trans-feminine third gender social and spiritual communities since ancient times."
"Today, at least half a million hijras live in India and another half million in Bangladesh, legally recognized as a third gender."
"In Africa, many societies have traditional roles for trans women and trans men, some of which survive in the modern era."
"In the Americas prior to European colonization, as well as in some contemporary North American Indigenous cultures, there are social and ceremonial roles for third gender people, or those whose gender expression transforms."
"In the Middle Ages, accounts around Europe document transgender people."
"Eleanor Rykener, a male-bodied Briton arrested in 1394 while living and doing sex work dressed as a woman, has been seen as a trans woman."
"In Japan, accounts of trans people go back to the Edo period."
"In Indonesia, there are millions of trans-/third-gender waria, and the bugis of Sulawesi recognize five genders."
"In colonial America, Thomas(ine) Hall in the 1600s adopted clothes and roles of both men and women."
"During the 1800s, some people began new lives as men and served in the military, including Albert Cashier and James Barry."
"In 1895, trans autobiographer Jennie June and others organized the Cercle Hermaphroditos."
"Karl M. Baer (in 1906) and Alan L. Hart (1917) underwent early female-to-male reassignment surgeries, while in 1930 and 1931 Dora Richter and Lili Elbe had early male-to-female surgeries."
"Baer, Richter, and Elbe were aided by Magnus Hirschfeld, whose pioneering work at the Institut für Sexualwissenschaft for trans medicine and rights was destroyed by the Nazis in 1933."
"In 1952, American trans woman Christine Jorgensen's transition brought wide awareness of sex reassignment surgery to North America."
"The grassroots fight for trans rights became more visible with trans and gay people fighting back against police in the 1959 Cooper Donuts Riot, 1966 Compton's Cafeteria Riot, and multi-day Stonewall Riots of 1969."
"In the 1970s, Lou Sullivan pioneered visibility for gay trans men and organized what became FTM International." Note: Quotes have been paraphrased for brevity and clarity.