Black on Both Sides: Snorton's Retelling of Black Trans History
Black trans scholar Doctor C Riley Snorton has published a new book, titled Black on Both Sides, A Racial History of Trans Identity. The book explores the history of Black trans people in the US, and how they have often been ignored in favour of white, more "acceptable" figures. Particularly, the book notes how some white trans people reached starhood, like Christine Jorgenson (amongst the first trans people to undergo gender confirmation surgery), and immediately began to achieve a level of acceptability in society by appealing to dominant norms - such as domesticity, respectability, and heterosexuality - in order to "fit in".
Notably, the book mentions how media often attacked Black trans people for not being like Jorgenson, or for failing to live up to the standards that she set. Through this re-exploration of history, Dr Snorton is able to bring to light some of these stories and celebrate a grand tradition of Black trans life, and resistance.
For example, the story of Mary Jones - a Black trans sex worker who was demonised as "the Man-Monster" (the titling of her lithographic portrait) - provides an insight into resistance. On trial in 1836 for stealing the wallets of clients, Jones appeared before the court in a white wig, earrings, and a dress, despite heavy mockery and condemnation from the court itself - some even tried to tear them off of her. When questioned about this, her response was simple: "I have always attended parties among the people of my own Colour dressed this way - and in New Orleans, I always dressed this way". She was sentenced to 5 years.
Or Jim McHarris, who in 1939 began to exclusively wear male clothing whilst living in Chicago. In 1954, he was pulled over by the police at a traffic stop, being accused of being a female. He was forced to strip off, and remove his clothes to expose himself to the judge and the arresting officers, for which he was given 30 days in jail, to which he argued: "I ain't done nothing wrong and I ain't breaking no laws".
Even the story of Lucy Hicks Anderson is told; of a Black trans woman who was accused by the US government of lying about her sex on her marriage license. Facing down racist and transphobic abuse, Anderson submitted that she would 'defy any doctor in the world to prove that I am not a woman [...] I have lived, dressed, acted just what I am, a woman." Prosecutors did not stop asking if she was biologically male, to which she refused to answer. Whilst in Prison, she was stopped from wearing women's clothes and was sent to a men's prison.
These, and so many more vital Black trans stories, feature in Dr Snorton's book. Check it out, and find out more about the rich history of Black resistance, and trans excellence. You can buy it here.
