hello! i was just wondering, since you seem to be the Knowledgeable Trans Guy: do you know of any books/documentaries/etc that talk about transmasc history? because i consider myself pretty educated about a lot of queer stuff (its my special interest) but for that... i'm at a loss. it's nowhere. and it hurts, cause im transmasc and can barely find my own people in history. thanks in advance and have a good day!
There's not a whole lot out there, which is part of the problem- we're often erased as passed off as "masculine women", lesbians, "women pretending to be men for social privilege", etc. Or, even when recognized as who we are, our contributions to history tend to be downplayed, diminished, or outright ignored.
That said, there's definitely some great content out there if you know where to look!
I really recommend Leslie Feinburg's work- zie was transmasc, and tends to include transmascs in hir work because of it. Stone Butch Blues is available as a free PDF on hir website, and it's a cornerstone of queer literature. Transgender Warriors is the less narrative, more historical counterpart to SBB, and includes some specific transmasc history (the chapter on Jone of Arc is legitimately life-changing tbh).
Becoming a Visible Man is on my reading list; I haven't gotten around to it yet, but I've heard great things.
@transgentleman-luke has also keeps a Google Drive folder full of trans literature, which has a wealth of transmasc resources as well!
And a further list of miscellaneous historical transmasc content:
Second Son by Ryan Sallans, a memoir of a trans man's transition experience.
Shinjuku Boys, a documentary about trans men in Japan.
James Barry (1789-1865), surgeon Inspector General in the British Army and the first to perform a C-section where both mother and child survived.
Lou Sullivan (1951-1991), an author and activist known for his work on trans men. You can read his work here.
Lou Sullivan: Daring to be a Man Among Men, by Brice D. Smith, documents Lou's life and work.
Sir Ewan Forbes (1912-1991), a Scottish son of a baron who's gender assignment became a point of legal contention when the baronetcy was up to be inherited by him.
Bill Smith (1886-1975), an Australian jockey (cw: misgendering)
Pillar of the Community, about James Howe- an early UK trans man.
The First Female Husband, about Charles Hamilton- another early UK trans man.
Successful Trans Men (Part 2) (Part 3), a list compiled of successful trans men (mostly modern, but significant!)
Gabriel, 1839, an extended play about what would likely be described as a bigender or genderfluid AFAB person in modern terms.
Mini Beau Book, Flow, by Luke Austin, a photo series on trans men.
To Survive on This Shore, by Jess T. Dugan and Vanessa Fabbre, a series of photos and interviews with older trans people. Features a good deal of transmascs.
(FICTION) Confessions of the Fox by Jodie Rosenburg, a historical fiction novel about a trans man discovering lost writings about a historical transmasc.
(FICTION) Yentl, a play about a Jewish person defying gender roles. Not explicitly transmasc, but described as having "transmasc vibes".
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