Transvestism in Women

By Cone Damon and Lee Staart

Throughout history women have masqueraded as men, Some did so for protection and assurance in a predominately masculine culturo and others in order to follow a profession restricted to mon.

Probably the largest group of women impersonating mon

have done so out of either sincerely wishing to be mon or because of strong Lesbian tendencies. Only an infinitesimal handful of these women transvestites has come to recorded history's roles; indeed, just dressing like a man does not guarantee fame. Only famous or rather original women left traces for us to oxamine and speculate about.

Among American aborigines there were women who dressed and behaved as mon, marrying other women and hunting along with the men. Though they were occasionally ridiculed, they were apparently left to live in peace by most tribos.

In Brazilian tribes some women abstained from all fominino Occupations and imitated men in dress and manner. They wore their hair in masculine fashion, hunted with men, and wont to war beside them. In some cases they resisted intercourse with men at the cost of their lives. Each of these Brazilian Amazons had a woman who lived with her as wife.

Various other native groups and ancient civilizations had transvestito women as part of their society; notably, Zanzibar and Bali. Hatsheput, the Egyptian pharaoh, dressed as a man part of her adult life and kept a harem of both mon and women.

In more recent history, cases have been recorded in virtually overy country and at every period of time. A sort of female Robin Hood of the 1600s, Mary Frith, known as Moll Cutpurse, fenced and forged her way through life. From early girlhood until death she dressed as a man and though her only known companion in life was a pot dog,

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