Trans Icons when you were growing up

[Stottie Girl]

I was thinking this morning while having a shower, as you do.

Who did you have as a trans icon when growing up, if indeed you had one?

For me, I didn't really have any until the 90's when I was out of school. I read an article about Roberta Close the brazillian trans model and I suddenly realised that being trans was something that other people were and that you could be accepted and be successful with it too, I wasn't alone and a freak.

I was  heavilly into the club scene too and there was a dj called Jon of the pleased Wimmin who was a crossdresser and not trans in the true sense of the word but there she was on stage done up to the nines leading the thousands of cheering clubbers who were going wild for her music. She was not only adored, people had bought tickets to see her. It had a profound effect on me.

I'm wondering about other icons I might have missed and also who is held in the same regard in todays world.

[big kim]

I was bored and hard up as a 15 year old,almost 16 in summer 1973. To make it worse it was pouring down. We had 3 TV channels so I flicked through and watched a short wildlife film. Next came a short from the early 50s with a glamorous blonde racing driver. It was Roberta Cowell and the announcer outed her as former Spitfire pilot Robert Cowell.
At last I  knew I wasn't the only one

[Charlotte Kitty ✅]

It was all different for me as I didn't have any strong desires to be a woman I until a lot later in life. I was generally ok living my life as a man because I could be as feminine as I wanted to be, without knowing that was actually something in itself. But I was very actively queer, so I have been around trans people and drag queens since my late teens. Always admired the many beautiful people on the queer scene, including some extra stuff with some of them! I took all those traits on board over the years and that makes me who I am.

Really the first trans person I admired a lot was the DJ Kate Meyher who DJed at pride every year. She is so beautiful and I loved her sets so much. I'd dance in front of the DJ booth and we'd smile at each other. I think these years going to pride and seeing so many trans furries, really cemented who I am inside.

She played my first ever release live on Gaydio too. We still catch up occasionally and she is doing brilliantly.

So yeah I really identify with the queer aspect of being trans. I wouldn't necessarily want to be cis female, as I am "my journey" and happily identify as a trans woman rather than just a woman. Maybe odd to some  but I find the queer diversity of identities to be so extremely beautiful.

Seems the music and DJ world has often been a refuge for trans, queer and queens since the early days. Indeed a lot of house music culture is queer culture.

Charlotte 😻

[KathyLauren]

I didn't really have any.  I knew about Christine Jorgensen and Renée Richards, and then, later, about Wendy Carlos, the genius of the Moog synthesizer.  But they were newsworthy celebrities, so I thought being trans was only for newsworthy celebrities.  It never occurred to me that normal people could be trans, or that I could follow in their footsteps.

The first trans woman I encountered in real life, and whom I thought I could maybe be like, was an astrophysicist who gave a talk on her research at a scientific conference.  I won't give her name, because I believe she wants to downplay the fact that she is trans.  I was impressed that she had the confidence to present a lecture in public and not have it be weird.  It was almost like trans people could be ... normal! Gasp!  I started my transition less than a year later, after having signed up on this site.

[Jessica_Rose ✅]

The first trans woman I remember hearing about was Caroline Cossey, also known as 'Tula'. She was an extra in 'For Your Eves Only' and was 'outed' soon after. She was also in at least two music videos, 'Some Like It Hot' and 'Get It On'. All I remember thinking was 'I wish I could be her'.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Stottie Girl]

I was bored and hard up as a 15 year old,almost 16 in summer 1973. To make it worse it was pouring down. We had 3 TV channels so I flicked through and watched a short wildlife film. Next came a short from the early 50s with a glamorous blonde racing driver. It was Roberta Cowell and the announcer outed her as former Spitfire pilot Robert Cowell.
At last I  knew I wasn't the only one

Oh wow, How have I not heard of her! What a life she has led! I was learning to fly myself so I have that in common. She's definitely added to my list. I'll have to hunt out her autobiography, that must be an interesting read.

[Stottie Girl]

It was all different for me as I didn't have any strong desires to be a woman I until a lot later in life. I was generally ok living my life as a man because I could be as feminine as I wanted to be, without knowing that was actually something in itself. But I was very actively queer, so I have been around trans people and drag queens since my late teens. Always admired the many beautiful people on the queer scene, including some extra stuff with some of them! I took all those traits on board over the years and that makes me who I am.

Really the first trans person I admired a lot was the DJ Kate Meyher who DJed at pride every year. She is so beautiful and I loved her sets so much. I'd dance in front of the DJ booth and we'd smile at each other. I think these years going to pride and seeing so many trans furries, really cemented who I am inside.

She played my first ever release live on Gaydio too. We still catch up occasionally and she is doing brilliantly.

So yeah I really identify with the queer aspect of being trans. I wouldn't necessarily want to be cis female, as I am "my journey" and happily identify as a trans woman rather than just a woman. Maybe odd to some  but I find the queer diversity of identities to be so extremely beautiful.

Seems the music and DJ world has often been a refuge for trans, queer and queens since the early days. Indeed a lot of house music culture is queer culture.

Charlotte 😻

Doesn't seem odd to me Charlotte. I may not be involved in the queer scene but I can see how important it is. We are all different, some of us know from the earliest years, others come to it late and others are in between, we come from all walks of life.

Your DJ friend sounds cool, you're right about the house scene being very open to queer culture, I remember seeing Boy George djing a few times where I used to go, and Frankie Knuckles too, there are loads of other examples. That was what was so cool about it, it was open to everyone from Boy George to Nigel Benn (the boxer).

I remember one night dancing away in Shindig (my local club) and looking to my left to see a guy in his 80's with a superman T-shirt on, really going for it! He had loads of pretty girls dancing with him! The house and techno scene was/is a lovely movement. I saw my old geography teacher in there too that night, off his nut!

[Stottie Girl]

I didn't really have any.  I knew about Christine Jorgensen and Renée Richards, and then, later, about Wendy Carlos, the genius of the Moog synthesizer.  But they were newsworthy celebrities, so I thought being trans was only for newsworthy celebrities.  It never occurred to me that normal people could be trans, or that I could follow in their footsteps.

The first trans woman I encountered in real life, and whom I thought I could maybe be like, was an astrophysicist who gave a talk on her research at a scientific conference.  I won't give her name, because I believe she wants to downplay the fact that she is trans.  I was impressed that she had the confidence to present a lecture in public and not have it be weird.  It was almost like trans people could be ... normal! Gasp!  I started my transition less than a year later, after having signed up on this site.

Ooh, now that's a cool encounter and a cracking real life icon to aspire too. Glad you had her in your life!

[Stottie Girl]

The first trans woman I remember hearing about was Caroline Cossey, also known as 'Tula'. She was an extra in 'For Your Eves Only' and was 'outed' soon after. She was also in at least two music videos, 'Some Like It Hot' and 'Get It On'. All I remember thinking was 'I wish I could be her'.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

Ah yes, I forgot about her! I did find out about her after I had my eyes opened with Roberta Close. I should add her to my icon list really

[Sephirah]

To be honest, I never had any trans icons, or icons in general, until I came here. Then... well... a whole lot. I would argue I still haven't grown up, though, haha. But no, I always just thought I was mentally defective, until I figured out I wasn't. Not in that way, anyway. So my life was somewhat insular. Finding out it's actually full of beautiful people was a bit of an eye opener. And... it turns out rabbits don't like being in the hat.

[Lori Dee ✅]

To be honest, I never had any trans icons, or icons in general, until I came here. Then... well... a whole lot. I would argue I still haven't grown up, though, haha. But no, I always just thought I was mentally defective, until I figured out I wasn't. Not in that way, anyway. So my life was somewhat insular. Finding out it's actually full of beautiful people was a bit of an eye opener. And... it turns out rabbits don't like being in the hat.

I am the same. We must have lived in isolation. I never even heard of anyone being transgender. Occasionally, the tabloids would have a story about someone having a "sex change operation", but the stories never seemed to get any attention. I just assumed it was some sensationalist BS to generate sales.

Even after my diagnosis, I began to wonder if I was the only one in the state. Then I found this place (again), went to a few support group meetings, and met some real people. Now I have friends I see quite often, and it all seems so "normal" to me now.

Can I adopt you as my icon?

😁

[Sephirah]

Can I adopt you as my icon?

*blushes*

I should be the one asking you that, haha. There are so many inspirational people here. <3 Many don't even realise it.

[Stottie Girl]

*blushes*

I should be the one asking you that, haha. There are so many inspirational people here. <3 Many don't even realise it.

I second that. There are so many brave souls here who are prepared to share their experiences with us and be a guiding light or provide us with something to aspire to. Of course growing up the internet didn't exist for me back then! It's hard to imagine life without it now.

[coral]

Must have been mid-60's when Oprah had a show on the author of "My husband wears a dress".  I didn't actually see the show but heard a lot about it. I was in high school already privately dressing fem whenever could, but this show gave me some hope of this being acceptable in the future.

   Coral

[Sarah B ✅]

Hi Everyone

I have never been for "Idolizing" people or tend to follow the pack.  I guess in a way I sit back and see which way the wind blows.  But I guess that is just me.

As to the icons on our community just like Sephirah I have none, when I changed my life around the first inkling of knowledge that was seeping into my brain was an article in the penthouse magazine about transsexuals. This was sometime before February 1989.

Fast forward to around 2010, 21 years living in bliss and not aware of the community.  I came across a documentary about Jazz Jennings, it was thought provoking and of course by then the internet was established to a certain extent.  This was around the first time that I really connected to the community and of course maintain my privacy.

I of course then learnt about the various "icons" in the community.  I guess the one person who stands out that I admire would be Lyn Conway.  Reading about her and others and the struggles they went through to achieve peace in their lives is truly remarkable and astonishing.

Yet reading these stories, they are not isolated in achieving their goals.  There are other members in society that struggle and they also achieve the peace and contentment in there lives that they also richly deserve.

In the end I suppose it comes down to a simple truth.  Every person is walking their own road.  Some journeys are visible and celebrated, others are quiet and private.  Yet the destination is the same for all of us, a life of peace and contentment.  Icons may light the path for some, but each of us still have to walk it in our own way.

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
@Sephirah