We too deserve a place in the sun: The politics of transvestite identity in weimar Germany

Katie Sutton*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    23 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Cross-dressing took on new political meanings in Germany's Weimar Republic, with the emergence of organizations and periodicals aimed at promoting the interests of self-identified 'transvestites.' This new sexological category, developed by Magnus Hirschfeld in 1910, formed the basis for a shared sense of identity and belonging among individuals who identified as members of the 'opposite' sex. Drawing on the experiences of the homosexual emancipation movement and discourses of bourgeois respectability, middle-class transvestites came together to demand legal and social recognition, including acknowledgement of 'transsexual' desires. Their efforts represent a critical but forgotten moment in the history of transgender political activism.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)335-354
    Number of pages20
    JournalGerman Studies Review
    Volume35
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - May 2012

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'We too deserve a place in the sun: The politics of transvestite identity in weimar Germany'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this