Transgender in New York: A Nineteenth-Century Story

From anti-bullying campaigns to discriminatory school bathroom bills, today’s debates about transgender rights and inclusion frequently center on issues affecting transgender youth. While the media attention to these issues might be recent, in fact, transgender youngsters in New York have asserted their identities and fought for inclusion for over 150 years.

Jesse Bayker, Mellon Predoctoral Fellow at the Museum of the City of New York, will discuss his research on nineteenth-century transgender lives and share resources for bringing transgender stories into your classroom.

This event is geared towards educators but open to all with interest in the topic.

Educators will learn about sources in the exhibition New York at Its Core available to support their students’ learning in the Museum and online. Participants will leave with resources for the classroom and a CTLE certificate for 1.5 hours of professional development.

Light refreshments will be served.

Want more New York stories?

This discussion is part of the lecture series New York Under the Lens: Educator Evenings at the Museum of the City of New York. Led by the Museum's Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Predoctoral Fellows in History Education, these informative talks and lively discussions uncover new approaches to examining New York City’s past and present. These events are geared towards educators but open to all with interest in the topics.

Image: Photograph of Bessie Bonehill, circa 1890s. Courtesy of Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations.