: In Europe and America, "passing" as a different gender was a tool for survival and social mobility, with individuals like Deborah Sampson or the pirate Mary Read living as men for years.
Transgender and gender-diverse identities are not modern inventions; they are woven into the history of nearly every global culture.
: For centuries, cultures like the Zuni and Crow nations have honored "Two-Spirit" individuals—such as We’wha and Osh-Tisch —who bridged male and female roles and were often revered as spiritual and community leaders.