Recovering Lost Stories From Trans History
Recovering Lost Stories From Trans History The narrative that we are in the midst of the first generation of trans children is so omnipresent as to be ambient. It is repeated ad nauseam in the media, online, by doctors, and by parents. Trans children, these various gatekeepers say in unison, have no history at all. [. . .] What happens if this consensus turns out to be baseless? —Jules Gill-Peterson, 2017 In 1939, the sleepy British town of Great Yarmouth rumbled awake. National media picked up the story of two brothers, Mark and David Ferrow. The trans teens recently returned to their hometown after spending four years transitioning in nearby Maidstone. The siblings were far from extraordinary. Mark, the outgoing older brother, loved fine arts and literature. David, the shy younger brother, joined his father’s book-selling business upon his return. The two grew more comfortable with themselves as they received overwhelming love and support from their small community. Mark and David fou…
