Fox Fisher | seasbrighton

Chevalier d’Eon (1728 - 1810)

Chevalier was born in France. During their life they were known to be a diplomat, soldier, spy and fencing master.
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D’Eon claimed that they were raised as a girl until about age 6 or 7, and then continued on as a boy as a condition of their father, Louis d’Éon de Beaumont, being able to inherit from his in-laws.

Questions about Chevalier’s gender existed long before she started dressing as a woman in public. After being sent to England in 1762, rumours circulated about her true gender, and betting on whether she was male or female even made it to the London Stock Exchange.

D’Eon has been recognised by modern historians as transgender, but there are also reports that indicate they might’ve been intersex as well. Regardless, they were a remarkable queer person in history.

D’Eon tried to return home to France, from where she had been exiled by some unfortunate diplomatic intrigues. King Louis XVI allowed her to return under the bizarre condition that d’Eon dress as a woman. When the King offered money for a new wardrobe of female clothing, Chevalier readily accepted.

Reportedly, d’Eon had no trouble at all complying with the terms of the arrangement. Later, when she returned back to England and was not under the constraints of Louis XVI’s directive, Chevalier continued to live and dress as a woman for 33 years, until her death in 1810.

At her death, several physicians declared that although d’Eon had male organs, she also had other feminine characteristics, including femininely-rounded limbs and significant breast development.

The controversy surrounding the Chevalier d’Eon excited the imagination for decades after her death. Her name became associated with trans people generally when English physician Henry Havelock Ellis coined the phrase “eonism” to refer to trans people.

Charley Parkhurst (1812 - 1879)

Charley was a trans man born in 1812, in Virgina, USA.

Charley grew up in an orphanage and when he was 12, he ran away dressed in masculine clothing.

He got a job cleaning stalls, washing carriages and scrubbing floors. Charley was good with horses — and he’d observe the coaches that came and went. He soon began working as a highwayman which was a dangerous job.

Charley’s stage coach was once held up by a robber nicknamed Sugarfoot who made off with $100,000 in gold dust.

After 10 years in New England, Charley took a Steamer to South America. Later Charley ended up in California, where he was hired as a stagecoach driver, and his employer would get 2 ounces of gold for each trip.

In the 1860s Charley came home drunk and was put to bed by his employer’s son, who then ran to his mother shouting. “Maw, Charley ain’t no man, he’s a woman!”

The family respected Charley and didn’t tell anyone about him being assigned female at birth — until his death in 1879.

Trans People in History Series: 🏳️‍⚧🏳️‍⚧🏳️‍⚧🏳️‍⚧
Fox Fisher

"As a trans person who transitioned in my late 20’s I love learning about trans people in history. It gives me great comfort to know that people like myself have always existed. Raising the platform of these trailblazers helps us to recognise how far we’ve come with trans rights and what role they have had in allowing trans people to be more comfortable in their own skin today, by pioneering advances in trans healthcare, including hormones and surgeries.

I’m fascinated with how the trans and gender non-conforming people, featured in this exhibition, found a way to be themselves in previous centuries. All of the people I’ve featured have overcome tough situations and major obstacles, carving out their own path and living their life to their fullest potential."

The exhibition includes also the Film "I Am They" (2018)

I Am They - A Non Binary Love Story - is a feature length documentary that explores non binary trans issues from the personal perspective of Fox and Owl Fisher, non binary trans activists from the UK. In the film they explore issues and challenges faced by non binary trans people, such as legal recognition, language, health care and social acceptance. Despite the film being educational and exploring social issues, it is also a love story of two people from totally different backgrounds finding each other. The film can be watched below.

Artist's Bio

Fox is a brown, queer, pansexual, non-binary, trans masculine artist, author, film-maker and educator. After an MA in Sequential Design, Fox was awarded an Honorary Doctor of the Arts by University of Brighton 'in recognition of major contribution to raising the profile, both nationally and internationally, or issues affecting trans people and the promotion of arts in the media.'

Fox is a proud patron for LGBT Switchboard, a co-founder and trustee of Trans Pride, Brighton. Fox is an Advisor to All About Trans. Fox consults on LGBTQIA+ storylines and scripts for television, film, theatre and books including Eastenders, Hollyoaks, Emmerdale and Sex Education. LIVE Interviews for BBC World News, Good Morning Britain with Piers Morgan and appearances on BBC Generation Activism, BBC ‘What Not To Say’ and BBC ‘Hayley Goes…’

@thefoxfisher (insta, twitter)

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