Ten transgender trailblazers throughout history—from the first to testify before Congress to Stonewall revolutionaries—broke barriers and paved the way for future generations.
Throughout history, transgender individuals have made remarkable contributions to society while facing immense challenges and discrimination. These ten trailblazers broke barriers, challenged norms, and paved the way for future generations to come. Their stories deserve recognition not just during Pride Month, but as integral parts of our shared human history. Efforts to erase our stories like these — through book bans, curriculum censorship, and anti-trans legislation — may try to silence the past, but they will never silence us.
Frances Thompson (1840s-1876)
First Trans Person to Testify Before Congress
Frances Thompson was born into slavery in 1840 and became the first transgender person to testify before the US Congress. After the Civil War, Thompson lived as a woman in Memphis, Tennessee, where she worked as a seamstress and domestic worker. Thompson was also one of the first African American women to speak about sexual assault by a white man, testifying about violence during Reconstruction. Her brave testimony helped document the systematic violence against newly freed Black Americans, making her a pioneer in both civil rights and transgender history. Thompson’s intersectional identity as a Black transgender woman placed her at the crossroads of multiple forms of oppression, yet she used her voice to advocate for justice and human dignity.
Alan Hart (1890-1962)
Pioneer of Medical Transition
Dr. Alan Hart was a groundbreaking physician, radiologist, and novelist who became one of the first transgender men to undergo gender-affirming surgery in the United States. Born in Kansas, Hart struggled with his gender identity from childhood but found no medical understanding or support. In 1917, he underwent a hysterectomy performed by Dr. J. Allen Gilbert in Portland, Oregon—a revolutionary procedure for its time. Hart went on to earn his medical degree and became a prominent tuberculosis researcher, helping develop mobile X-ray screening programs that saved countless lives. His dual legacy as both a medical pioneer and transgender trailblazer paved the way for future trans and gender nonconforming medical professionals. Hart published several novels and maintained a successful medical practice while living openly as a man, proving that transgender people could lead fulfilling, productive lives.
Caroline Cossey (Born 1954)
Breaking Hollywood Barriers
Caroline Cossey, also known as Tula, appeared in the 1981 James Bond film “For Your Eyes Only” as an extra. When she was outed as transgender by the tabloid News of the World in 1981, it marked a pivotal moment in trans visibility. Rather than retreating from public life, Cossey chose to fight back with dignity and openness. She became the first transgender model to appear in Playboy magazine, using her platform to educate the public about transgender experiences. Cossey wrote her autobiography, “My Story,” becoming one of the first transgender women to tell her story in her own words. Her legal battles for recognition and marriage rights helped establish important precedents for transgender civil rights. Throughout decades of public scrutiny, Cossey maintained her grace and became an advocate for transgender acceptance and understanding.
We’wha (1849-1896)
Zuni Cultural Ambassador
We’wha was born around 1849 in New Mexico as a member of the Zuni people. In Zuni culture, We’wha was recognized as a lhamana—a traditional third-gender role combining both masculine and feminine qualities. Standing over six feet tall, We’wha was renowned for pottery, weaving, and other traditional crafts. During a visit to Washington D.C. in 1886, We’wha met President Grover Cleveland and was generally mistaken for a cisgender woman. We’wha served as a cultural ambassador, participating in anthropological studies and helping preserve Zuni traditions during a time of intense cultural pressure from the U.S. government. One anthropologist described We’wha as “the strongest character and the most intelligent of the Zuni tribe.” We’wha’s life demonstrates how many Indigenous cultures traditionally recognized and honored gender diversity long before Western concepts of transgender identity emerged.
Lucy Hicks Anderson (1886-1954)
Early Civil Rights Pioneer
Born in Waddy, Kentucky in 1886, Lucy Hicks Anderson insisted on wearing dresses to school from childhood. When her concerned mother took her to a doctor, he suggested allowing the child to live as a female. Anderson moved to California, where she built a successful life as a businesswoman and socialite. She married twice, first to Clarence Hicks in 1920 and later to Reuben Anderson in 1944. Her legal battles over her marriages brought national attention to transgender rights decades before the modern LGBT movement. When prosecuted for perjury regarding her legal sex, she was sentenced to probation and forced to wear masculine clothing. Anderson’s courage in living authentically and fighting for legal recognition established important precedents for transgender civil rights. The Handbook of LGBT Elders calls Anderson “one of the earliest documented cases of an African-American transgender person”.
Michael Dillon (1915-1962)
Medical Pioneer and Buddhist Monk
Michael Dillon was a British doctor, author, Buddhist monk and the first known transgender man to undergo phalloplasty. Born into an aristocratic family, Dillon struggled with his identity from childhood, later writing about his despair at being perceived as female. He began hormone therapy in the 1940s and underwent pioneering gender-affirming surgeries with plastic surgeon Harold Gillies. Dillon earned his medical degree from Trinity College Dublin and later helped perform Britain’s first male-to-female surgery on Roberta Cowell in 1951. His book “Self: A Study in Ethics and Endocrinology” was one of the first academic works on transgender identity. Later in life, Dillon became a Buddhist monk in India, finding spiritual peace after his medical and social transition. His courage in pursuing both medical transition and professional success opened doors for future generations of transgender men.
Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992)
Stonewall Revolutionary
Marsha P. Johnson was a central figure in the 1969 Stonewall uprising that launched the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. Born in New Jersey, Johnson moved to New York City as a teenager and became a prominent figure in Greenwich Village’s gay community. Known for her colorful personality, elaborate outfits, and flowers in her hair, Johnson was a drag performer and sex worker who looked out for vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth. On the night of June 28, 1969, Johnson was among those who fought back against police harassment at the Stonewall Inn. She co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) with Sylvia Rivera, providing housing and support for homeless LGBTQ+ youth. Johnson’s activism extended beyond Stonewall, as she participated in AIDS activism with ACT UP and continued advocating for marginalized community members until her death in 1992. Her legacy reminds us that transgender women of color have always been at the forefront of LGBTQ+ liberation.
Renée Richards (Born 1934)
Tennis Trailblazer
Dr. Renée Richards broke barriers both in medicine and professional sports. Before her transition, she was a successful ophthalmologist and amateur tennis player. After transitioning in the mid-1970s, Richards faced discrimination when she attempted to compete in women’s professional tennis tournaments. The United States Tennis Association initially barred her from competition, leading to a landmark 1977 court case that ruled in her favor. Richards’ legal victory established important precedents for transgender athletes’ participation in sports. She competed on the women’s professional tennis circuit and later coached Martina Navratilova to two Wimbledon titles. Beyond sports, Richards continued practicing medicine and wrote her autobiography, “Second Serve,” bringing transgender experiences to mainstream audiences. Her courage in fighting for equal treatment in professional sports opened doors for future transgender athletes while demonstrating that transgender people could excel in any field.
Christine Jorgensen (1926-1989)
America’s First Celebrity Trans Woman
Christine Jorgensen became internationally famous in 1952 when she traveled to Denmark for gender-affirming surgery, making headlines as one of the first Americans to undergo such procedures. Born George Jorgensen in the Bronx, she served in the U.S. Army before seeking medical treatment in Europe. The New York Daily News broke her story with the headline “Ex-GI Becomes Blonde Beauty,” thrusting her into the spotlight. Rather than hiding from publicity, Jorgensen embraced her role as an educator and spokesperson. She toured extensively, giving lectures about transgender experiences to packed auditoriums across America. Jorgensen appeared on television shows, wrote her autobiography, and worked as a nightclub performer. Her grace under intense media scrutiny and her willingness to educate the public helped humanize transgender people for mainstream America. Jorgensen’s courage in living openly during an extremely hostile time period paved the way for greater transgender visibility and acceptance.
Coccinelle (1931-2006)
European Entertainment Icon
Born Jacqueline Charlotte Dufresnoy in France, Coccinelle became Europe’s first widely known transgender celebrity. She rose to fame in the 1950s as a cabaret performer in Paris’s Le Carrousel nightclub, captivating audiences with her beauty, talent, and charisma. Coccinelle underwent gender-affirming surgery in Casablanca, Morocco, in 1958, making headlines across Europe. Her success in entertainment challenged stereotypes about transgender people and proved they could achieve mainstream acceptance. She appeared in films, recorded albums, and maintained a successful performing career for decades. In 1960, she legally married journalist Francis Bonnet in a ceremony that attracted international media attention, making her one of the first transgender women to achieve legal marriage recognition in Europe. Coccinelle’s glamorous public image and artistic success helped normalize transgender identity in European culture while inspiring countless others to live authentically.
Honoring Their Legacy
These ten remarkable individuals remind us that transgender people have always been an integral part of human history, making significant contributions across every imaginable field. They remind us that we are not a trend — we are part of a legacy.
Their stories illuminate both how far we’ve come and how much work remains. While we celebrate their achievements, we must also remember that many transgender people, particularly transgender women of color, continue to face discrimination, violence, and marginalization today. By learning about these historical figures, we honor not only their courage but also the ongoing struggle for transgender equality and human dignity.
These trailblazers didn’t just change their own lives, they changed the world. Their legacy challenges us all to build a more inclusive society where everyone can thrive as their true selves.