I love history, it must be genetic because all the men on my fathers side do. So learning about transsexuals and gender benders throughout history was fun for me, in case you don't like history I will try and also make it fun for you. Remember, I warned you I was corny.

Greek gods could change genders have, two genders, and do pretty much whatever they wanted. What can I say? It's good to be a god. Many Native American tribes revered the dual gendered seeing them as holy people. And in India today, eunuchs are considered good luck at weddings although otherwise they are completely outcast from society. That's India for you always caste-rating people. Anyone?

A French diplomat named, Chevalier d'Eon after spending half his life as a man decided to spend the rest a woman and was one of many mistresses to King Louis the XV.It's said the king had no knowledge this particular mistress was physically a man. If that's true I am gonna to go out on a limb and guess King Louie wasn't much of a giver.

Born Dorothy Lucille Tipton in 1914, Billy Lee Tipton, as he became in 1933, fulfilled a lifelong dream when he became the leader of his own Jazz trio. I would have done the exact same thing if I were him. As a jazz musician in the 30's I am pretty sure that little cutie got a lot of play.

How about Joan of  Arc? She was definitely a cross dresser for Christ. There are a lot of other stories of women putting on men's clothing to help fight for their countries as well. This may be due more to sexism than being transgendered but chicks dressing as dudes and fighting is still pretty hot either    way!

Lili Elbe was the first documented man to have gender reassignment surgery or GRS (I call it gender assignment surgery because GAS is a funnier acronym). Born in Denmark in 1886 her GAS was performed in 1930 (see it is funnier). Being the first man to physically become a woman, now that's what I call ballsy.

The list goes on and on and I am sure there are many famous and successful transgendered people that were aren't even aware of. It's cool, we understand you want to keep it quiet.And although it seems trannies and gender benders have been around forever in all types of cultures, most of the world still isn't ready. Seems pretty sad to me. How many different types of people are going to have to fight for their rights before we realize people shouldn't have to fight for them at all?

This article appears in Jul 8-14, 2010.