True Sex: The Lives of Trans Men at the Turn of the Twentieth Century

Synopsis

At The Turn Of The Twentieth Century, Trans Men Were Not Necessarily Urban Rebels Seeking To Overturn Stifling Gender Roles. In Fact, They Often Sought To Pass As Conventional Men, Choosing To Live In Small Towns Where They Led Ordinary Lives, Aligning Themselves With The Expectations Of Their Communities. They Were, In A Word, Unexceptional. In True Sex, Emily Skidmore Uncovers The Stories Of Eighteen Trans Men Who Lived In The United States Between 1876 And 1936. Despite Their “unexceptional” Quality, Their Lives Are Surprising And Moving, Challenging Much Of What We Think We Know About Queer History. By Tracing The Narratives Surrounding The Moments Of 'discovery' In These Communities -- From Reports In Local Newspapers To Medical Journals And Beyond -- This Book Challenges The Assumption That The Full Story Of Modern American Sexuality Is Told By Cosmopolitan Radicals. Rather, True Sex Reveals Complex Narratives Concerning Rural Geography And Community, Persecution And Tolerance, And How These Factors Intersect With The History Of Race, Identity And Sexuality In America. -- Provided By The Publisher. Introduction: Harry Gorman's Buffalo -- The Last Female Husband: New Boundaries Of Identity In The Late Nineteenth Century -- Beyond Community: Rural Lives Of Trans Men -- The Trouble That Clothes Make: Whiteness And Acceptability -- Gender Transgressions In The Age Of U.s. Empire -- To Have And To Hold: Trans Husbands In The Early Twentieth Century -- Conclusion: Kenneth Lisonbee's Eureka. Emily Skidmore. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.