This is the only known photo of the first trans woman to have her gender legally recognized in Switzerland.
In 1914, Adine T. sent a letter to her local police to grant her a pass to dress as she pleased. She petitioned that "I be granted permission to live as a woman, to wear female clothing and to pursue female occupations, and to be considered a woman before the world in all and every respect, since my emotional feelings are totally feminine and I feel unspeakably unhappy in male clothing."
Her gender was so clear that even the conservative Swiss government had to recognize it. Obtaining permission to live as a woman "is a matter of life and death for me," Adine added.
111 years ago, it was the first pass of its kind in her nation (although not the first in Europe). When interviewed, Adine described herself similarly to other trans lesbians in the 20th century: "a homosexual woman in a male body.” Source: Matthias Ruoss, "Arnold, Arnoldine, Adine."
