Transgender & Non-Binary Royals & Nobles

Throughout history, across cultures and in every walk of life, there have always been people whose identity went beyond the two-gender mold. And those who do not fit the gender assigned to them at birth. Though people in the past did not often have the concepts, terminology or relative freedom we have today, there are many notable historic figures whom historians speculate were likely transgender or non-binary. LGBT+
Elagabalus, Emperor of Rome (204 - 222)
Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba (1583 – 1663)
Queen Christina of Sweden (1626 – 1689)
Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon (1661 – 1723)
Chevalier d’Éon (1728 – 1810)
Sir Ewan Forbes, 11th Baronet of Craigievar (1912 – 1991)

I make mini documentaries about women's history and royal history:
Sources:

[danaeckert]

"...they are not alone in the world or in time." Such a lovely statement, and one that needs to be heard.

[mineflwr]

Chevalier d'Éon really got two countries to fall in love with her, *and* a king to pay for her wardrobe? She's the patron saint of "gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss"

[revanius]

Sir Ewan Forbes' mother sounds like she was ahead of her time recognizing her son so early in life and standing by him.

[bitchimgordie]

I really loved that line, “gender was a private matter, a trans person simply Registered their sex and moved on.” Not saying a trans person shouldn’t be able to be out and proud but, what is it anyone else’s business, especially the governments.

[danielutzon]

Listening to the story of Sir Ewan is so special to me, as a transgender man. He was part of the first generation of trans people who were able to receive HRT, something that has changed my life for the better. It always feels bittersweet to hear about the german clinic, because it is amazing that such a place existed in that time, but i wonder if soceity would be more accepting today if it hadn’t been shut down by the nazies.

[badbiker]

I enjoyed this video very much. I am a white, cisgender, heterosexual, elderly, male. As such, my personal experience is very common. The way I appear, present, and feel, all match. I think it is because I am so very comfortable in my own skin that I can understand how it must be to feel the opposite. The thought terrifies me, and as such I have enormous respect for those who live differently. I have several friends who are gay or transgender because I belong to a very inclusive church. I enjoy the time I spend with them because their point of view on so many topics is so different from my own. I intend to pass this video along to them. I hope they enjoy it as much as I did, especially considering the respectful tone Lindsay took presenting all of her subject persons.

[AmarieRegin]

I love how sensitive Lindsay is to the subject matter right off the bat! Also, Ngiza's story reminds me of the babaylan here in the Philippines. Sad how our country was originally very open to LGBTQ people and women in power, but the Spanish made us all so "conservative".

And now, my fellow Filipina women are now saying that only a man (a dictator's lying, thieving son) can be a president...coz he's a man.

[mryoshi]

transphobes will always make the argument that being transgender is a "new" thing. it is not. its been here for ages. we have always been here. and we will stay.

[lucypreece]

one of my fave historical people that my mother wrote a paper about who historians to believe to have been trans is Dr James Barry. born a woman but lived as a man for most of his life he started out as a ship surgeon. He became the first doctor to perform a successful caesarean section where both mother and baby survived. People didn't know his sex assigned at birth until his death where they saw evidence of childbirth on the body. It is also rumoured that he was Intersex but that hasn't been confirmed.

[JDG-rb]

Thank you for showing the LGBTQ community in a way that is historical and respectful. We all have a story, this is no different for our ancestors!

[burgermeowster]

Sir Ewan's story made me cry I'm so glad he had a supportive mother in childhood though.

[waluigisim]

I find it interesting that in Sir Ewan’s case, the barony and lands/castle that come with it were entitled to him because they manufactured a way to make it seem he might have been born with male intersex condition instead of female at birth. Yet today, women and females are still not allowed to inherit the land privileges that come with a peerage titles just like how Sir Ewan’s nieces were unable to inherit because they were female….

[ferretdad]

I am a trans man subjected to years of hate crime and now the regime are actively encouraging hate for trans people. Until I saw your video which I've watched many times I never knew there were transgender nobility in UK. I knew there were trans native Americans going back centuries and they were revered in their tribe as twin souls. Thankyou fir telling these peoples stories. It would be great to learn of other historic trans people too

[catloaff]

Ewan Forbes' story was really sad at the end. After growing up with a parent that support him and peacefully living his life he had to be traumatized by the US government solely because they decided that being trans is wrong :/ shame that the US is repeating its horrific history again now with many states banning HRT for people under 18 in the guise of "protecting the children", when in reality trans kids are much happier when they got HRT.

[rayb]

I'm a transgender male and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this video and how you handled this topic.

[katiejude]

Not me crying over the photo of Sir Ewan looking lovingly at his ally mom.

[cindchan]

I love hearing about the mothers who supported their children! The one who clung to her child and died with them. That shows the power of a mother's love! And, in an age where such things were taboo (and even illegal), to see a mother who recognizes and accepts their child's gender to the point of helping their child to become their authentic self. Truly wonderful things to hear!

[sophroniel]

Elagabalus' life is just tragic all round. I studied their life in my Classics & Latin course, and it was.... basically highly sexualised, traumatic and they should never have been emperor. (I should also note that if we as historians are choosing to use the pronouns "she/her" for Elagabalus, as this was indeed their self-identification at many times throughout life, the name "Elagabalus" should technically become "Elagabaula" as the -us ending is masculine in Latin, whereas -a is feminine. Just a semantic point, however)

[scoobyrds]

I got such a big smile on my face when this vid popped up in my notifications. Sir Ewan’s story is inspiring in how simple it is - he just wanted to live a normal life, and he very nearly got that.

[melomelody]

As an Angolan, Your take on Nzinga Mbandi after the death of her brother is wrong and putting her on Trans list just because of her bravery and intelligence is pretty ignorant, she dressed based on where she was presenting herself, if it was in a more political meeting she would dress " manly" to not make it about her beauty or elegance but her power as a queen, if it wasn't too political she would dress very extravagant and feminine. She wasn't gay nor trans just a Queen.

PS: Nzinga Mbandi wasn't the only female warrior during colonialism there was many women, mother and wives who fought back to protect their villages.