Sunset Folk: Florida's Transgender History
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Transgender and gender nonconforming people have been an important part Florida’s cultural landscape since the era of colonization. For much of its history, Florida has often been seen as an exotic playground where one could act in anonymity, which has provided more outlets for the expression of gender nonconformity than its neighboring states. From the blackfaced female impersonators of the the minstrel show to the film A Florida Enchantment, transgender expression enjoyed a sense of acceptance and even embraced them outside entertainment venues. However, as the economic and real estate boom of the post-World War II years transformed Florida into a air-conditioned regional powerhouse, local governments’ tenuous tolerance towards transgender people evaporated. Beginning in the 1950s, the crackdown on gender nonconformity as an identity rather than a performance threatened the lives and livelihoods of this population leading to medical, professional, and gender discrimination, as well as violence. This paper tells the story of this population and the transformation from beloved entertainers to marginalized citizens, paying particular attention to the intersections between race and gender in this segment of the population.
Poster
Sunset Folk: Florida's Transgender History
Transgender and gender nonconforming people have been an important part Florida’s cultural landscape since the era of colonization. For much of its history, Florida has often been seen as an exotic playground where one could act in anonymity, which has provided more outlets for the expression of gender nonconformity than its neighboring states. From the blackfaced female impersonators of the the minstrel show to the film A Florida Enchantment, transgender expression enjoyed a sense of acceptance and even embraced them outside entertainment venues. However, as the economic and real estate boom of the post-World War II years transformed Florida into a air-conditioned regional powerhouse, local governments’ tenuous tolerance towards transgender people evaporated. Beginning in the 1950s, the crackdown on gender nonconformity as an identity rather than a performance threatened the lives and livelihoods of this population leading to medical, professional, and gender discrimination, as well as violence. This paper tells the story of this population and the transformation from beloved entertainers to marginalized citizens, paying particular attention to the intersections between race and gender in this segment of the population.
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Faculty Advisor: Dr. Erin Mauldin