Breaking boundaries brings success

There are women throughout history who have made great advances for our world’s technology, education, society and human rights. Some of these women are forgotten; despite their effort, some simply fail to acknowledge them.

Transgender women have been speaking out for centuries — and fighting for their rights for just as long. The effort they put into their communities last for lifetimes and have advanced understanding, transgender rights and even medical technology.

During the month of Women’s History, let’s celebrate some women that have made an impact.

Lili Ilse Elvenes (Lili Elbe) (1882 – 1931)

Elbe was a Danish transgender woman, who, according to Biography.com, came to realize her gender identity after marrying her wife, Gerda Gottlieb. Born in 1882, she made a name for herself in the painting world before she came out as transgender. She is recognized as one of the first transgender women to undergo reassignment surgery and had two books written about her, Man into Woman (1933) and The Danish Girl (2000), the latter becoming a movie in 2015. She died in recovery from one of her surgeries.

Renee Richards (1934 – )

Richards was an ophthalmologist and tennis player who began reassignment surgeries when she was 41 years old. Before her transition in 1975, she was ranked third in the eastern U.S. and 13th nationally in the men’s 35-and-over tennis, as cited in the Richards v. USTA case of 1977. The case was spurred when Richards continued to play tennis as a woman and was denied entry into the women’s division until she took a test to determine if she was born female. The court found the United States Tennis Association in violation of Richards’ human rights and ruled in her favor.

Tracey “Africa” Norman (1951 – )

Norman was the first black transgender model. Her story in a December 14, 2015 issue of New York Magazine tells of her start; sneaking alongside models into an Italian Vogue audition. Not only was she the first trans model on Vogue, Norman was also the second African-American model to be featured.

Lucy Hicks Anderson (1886 – 1954)

Anderson had been living as female since she started school. She insisted that she wear dresses and called herself Lucy. When her mother took her to a physician, the doctor told her to raise Anderson as a girl. She was the first trans woman to go to court to fight for her rights. According to BlackPast.org, when she was found to be biologically male, she was tried for perjury. They said it was committed when she signed a marriage license application and swore that there were no “legal objections” to the marriage. “I defy any doctor in the world to prove that I am not a woman,” she said to the physicians who accused her of being male. “I have lived, dressed, acted just what I am, a woman.”

Kim Coco Iwamoto (1968 – )

While she didn’t use her gender identity in her 2006 campaign, Iwamoto successfully landed in office on Hawaii’s State Board of Education as the highest ranking transgender official in the country. It’s noted in multiple articles that she spoke about her identity. “I had no clue that (being transgender) would be so noteworthy,” she said in an interview with Hawaii News Now. “I suppose it’s an honor to be recognized, but then again, the greater honor for me is serving Hawaii and serving Hawaii’s children.” In November, Iwamoto announced she was running for lieutenant governor of Hawaii.