Despite Western culture and its patriarchal understanding of gender as a binary (male and female), this is not the case for all cultures. There are several other cultures across the world who recognize and name other gender expressions outside of a binary lens. See the image below for a few examples. Note - many of these identities do not have a firm spot to place on a timeline, as they have existed for centuries (and, in some cases, milennia)!
While this timeline is meant to show the long-standing history of trans and GNC identities, it is not a comprehensive history. The majority of events, laws, and public figures listed in this timeline are from or relating to the United States as Duquesne University is an American university.
Because of the nature of this timeline, some of the terminology used may not reflect current standards of how to refer to transgender and GNC populations. While terms used may be considered offensive, it is important to acknowledge the history behind them. The goal of this timeline is not to offend, but to educate on the prevalence of transgender people throughout history.
