The Gilpin Observer, Dec. 5, 1907:
Trinidad, Colorado — Katherine Vosbaugh, an eccentric Frenchwoman of brilliant attainments, died here the other day at the age of 83, after masquerading for 60 years as a man. The woman donned trousers when a girl and had a horror of skirts up to the time of her death … her true sex was never suspected.
In the early 1900s, a woman “masquerading” as or “impersonating” a man was a punishable offense. It was less about sexuality and more about the indecency of females wearing male clothing and their rejection of society’s traditional gender roles.
This attitude was evident in the first known case of same-sex marriage in Colorado. Rather than focusing on the sexual nature of the marriage, the major concern for law enforcement was that a woman was posing as a man.
The Courier Farmer, Sept. 23, 1913:
Meeker, Colorado — Two years ago, Jack Hill came to Meeker from the east … There he met Miss Anna Slifka, and a year ago they were married and went to live on a farm near town … W.B. Thompson, an easterner, recognized Hill … and declared he was a woman in men’s clothing … When approached by officers, Hill stoutly denied that he was a woman, but an investigation proved that this was the case. “He” is in the county jail awaiting trial in the District Court … Hill claims as “his” reason for adopting the disguise that “he” wanted to earn a man’s wages and get an education.
The excuse that dressing as a man allowed a woman to earn more money was common in those times. While it may have been the truth in some cases, it was also used as cover by lesbian and transgender individuals, whose discovery would have had far worse consequences.
It was rare for someone to admit that they didn’t feel they fit the gender norm; but one did so, either out of boldness or naivete, when hauled before a court to explain.
The Rocky Mountain News, Dec. 13, 1936:
Trinidad Girl of 16 Passes as Schoolboy for Four Months
The girl is Helen Coberly, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Coberly, of Trinidad. Since September, she has been “Joe” Coberly, one of the most brilliant, popular and handsome boy members of the sophomore class in the high school at Montrose, Colorado … Judge Herman said the girl told him that one of the reasons she decided to become a boy was because of her intense dislike of being petted by boys. “I decided that would be the best way to get away from petting,” she explained … Finally, the girl summed up the whole matter with the statement: “I wanted to be a boy, therefore I dressed like a boy. I never liked girl’s clothes.”
Coberly received no punishment for their actions, as the judge determined there was no moral delinquency involved. In other words, the crossdressing incident wasn’t deemed to be sexual.
America’s European explorers, and particularly Christian missionaries, were harsh in their judgments of gender-bending individuals they saw in nearly every Indigenous tribe they encountered, including the first known transgender people in Colorado — the Cheyenne “He’emaneh,” meaning “heart of a woman.”
While Native Americans accepted “two spirit” people, the missionaries considered such identities as sexually deviant and did their best to wipe out transgenderism among the Indigenous Americans.
In early 20th century America, there wasn’t the varied terminology we have today to describe gender identity. Along the way, however, society was becoming more tolerant of gender diversity.
In 1952 Christine Jorgensen, a former Army soldier, underwent gender reassignment surgery, and became one of the most famous trans figures in the 20th century. She helped normalize transitioning from one sex to another in the public mind.
Colorado played a crucial role in transgender history. In the ‘70s, Dr. Stanley Biber opened a gender affirming surgical clinic.
Aspen Daily News, May 21, 2000:
A social worker Biber had met through his welfare cases asked him to perform her surgery … After consulting a New York physician who had done some sex reassignment operations, and obtaining hand-drawn sketches from Johns Hopkins University, Biber agreed to do the surgery … With less than a handful of doctors performing the procedure, Trinidad became THE place to come for a sex change operation.
For over 40 years, the work of Dr. Biber and Dr. Marci Bowers, who took over the practice, provided gender-affirming care to thousands of people.
In 2018, the Colorado LGBTQ+ community got a vocal advocate when Brianna Titone, the first openly transgender Colorado legislator, was elected. Though no longer forced to hide their identity for fear of arrest, queer people are still persecuted by elements of society and face new challenges from an intolerant U.S. administration. So far in the 21st century, Colorado continues to be a relatively safe space for gender diversity.
Sue Gray’s pronouns are she and her. Though, she will also accept “Her Majesty.”