There's nothing new under the sun
Jun. 13th, 2012 11:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lederhosenStumbled across this article about the Chevalier d'Eon:
Before living publicly as a woman he was a famous French soldier and diplomat who had a key role in negotiating the Peace of Paris in 1763, ending the seven years war between France and Britain. After 13 years living in London he was not inclined to return to Paris, resorting to blackmailing the French crown with a threat to sell secrets after he was officially recalled.
"He had information about French plans to invade England, despite the peace that was being negotiated," said Peltz. That led the king, then Louis XVI, making the highly unusual edict that D'Eon could remain only if he lived his life as a woman which, at the time, would have been an enormous disempowerment.
"It was very much due to D'Eon's own encouragement, putting forward the idea over some period. As far as we can tell D'Eon was Britain's first openly transvestite male who was able to live out the life that his gender orientation demanded of him – and he was able to get away with it, feted as a particularly brave and courageous woman."
Before living publicly as a woman he was a famous French soldier and diplomat who had a key role in negotiating the Peace of Paris in 1763, ending the seven years war between France and Britain. After 13 years living in London he was not inclined to return to Paris, resorting to blackmailing the French crown with a threat to sell secrets after he was officially recalled.
"He had information about French plans to invade England, despite the peace that was being negotiated," said Peltz. That led the king, then Louis XVI, making the highly unusual edict that D'Eon could remain only if he lived his life as a woman which, at the time, would have been an enormous disempowerment.
"It was very much due to D'Eon's own encouragement, putting forward the idea over some period. As far as we can tell D'Eon was Britain's first openly transvestite male who was able to live out the life that his gender orientation demanded of him – and he was able to get away with it, feted as a particularly brave and courageous woman."
