The Tradition of Female Transvestism in Early Modern EuropeIn 17th and 18th century Europe, especially Holland, England and Germany, so many women chose to dress and live as men, that an underground tradition of female transvestism within the popular culture can be detected. This study, based upon 119 well-documented Dutch cases of female transvestism, is the first of its kind and tells us how these women adapted to male life and why, once discovered, reactions to them were both fierce and varied. It also explores the reasons why they chose to change gender. Special attention is devoted to transvestism by one partner as the only way in which lesbian love was conceiveable in this period. |
Contents
MOTIVES AND TRADITION | 25 |
The History of Sexuality | 47 |
CONDEMNATION AND PRAISE | 73 |
Copyright | |
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achttiende eeuw adventures Amsterdam RA Anna ARA VOC Archief army arrested autobiography Barbara Adriaens biography Breda Brielle C. R. Boxer Catalina de Erauso Chapter concerning Cornelia court criminal Dekker Den Haag discovered disguised women dressed in men's Dutch Republic eighteenth century Elisabeth England English entry Europe example female cross-dressing female sailors female soldiers female transvestism Gelderland gender Geschiedenis Gijsse Gouda Groningen Haag Haarlem Hannah Snell Hendrickje hermaphroditism Heroine Hilletje History husband Indies Jacobs Johanna judicial archives Kersteman Leiden lesbian living London lover Magnus Hirschfeld male homosexuals Maria van Antwerpen Maritgen Jans marriage married Meer men's clothing motives Nederlandsche vrouwen Netherlands Nieuwe nineteenth century Paris Pieters prison punishment reactions reality relationship role Rotterdam sentence seventeenth and eighteenth seventeenth century sexual ship social sodomy story sworn virgins theme tradition of female Transsexualism transvestism trial tribady Trijn Jurriaens Trijntje VOC reis VOC-sailor VOC-soldier Willem woman