Before Trans : Three Gender Stories from Nineteenth-Century France

This biographical study of three late nineteenth-century French writers looks at how transgender identities were expressed and understood before the modern category of transgender existed. At once construed as oddities and celebrated for their accomplishments, archaeologist and explorer Jane Dieulafoy (1851-1916), art critic Marc de Montifaud (1845-1912), and novelist and playwright Rachilde (1860-1953) defied the available terms for women who challenged gender norms. The book uses the contemporary lens of transgender to examine the fascinating and very different life stories of these overlooked historical figures, while introducing us to their writing and photography.