I have recently come across articles about the work of two photographers who captured trans life in the 1960s and thought it worth sharing them.
A different age in terms of fashion, where we do see to have lost a sense of stylishness, and in terms of safety, where we seem to have gained (at least in the West).
The first covers the work of photographer Lisetta Carmi (now 95) who documented the
lives of the trans community in the port of Genoa, Italy, in the 1960s.
As a child she wanted to be a boy, and in 1938 her family were forced
into exile by Mussolini's anti-Jewish laws. Ever after, she felt strong
affinity for other oppressed groups.
Link: Genoa, Italy, 1960s
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| Lisetta Carmi, I Travestiti, Genova
(The Transvestites, Genoa), 1965–67, photograph. © the artist, Galeria d'arte Martini & Ronchetti, Genoa, and Galerie Antoine Levi, Paris |
The second is about Swedish photographer Christer Strömholm and his portraits of TGirls in Paris in the 1960s, with some lovely images.
Link: Paris, France, 1960s
Sue x
Thanks for sharing those articles, Sue. Both a very interesting read.
ReplyDeleteWhile the mainstream may not get us (still), seeing the historic evidence and also the stories of folk who came before is both fascinating, inspiring, and occasionally, upsetting.
For some: any means necessary for survival.
Thanks, Lynn. I'm glad you found them interesting. We've come a long way since those days of people fearing arrest and we owe a debt to these brave girls for making our lives that much easier. That said, they did live in an era when style was everything, which is something our society could perhaps do with rediscovering. Although I suspect the past's greater concern with good presentation goes hand in hand with the repression of feeling and individuality (there's an essay for sociology students!) Sue x
DeleteGreat articles! Thanks for posting them. I especially enjoyed some of the pictures that reminded me of when I first met several Trans Women in the 60's.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michelle, I'm glad you enjoyed them too. Sue x
DeleteThanks for posting this Sue. I collect photo essays of this sort ... although Lisetta Carmi's book is well beyond my pocket money!
ReplyDeleteHi Nikki, I thought it would be interesting to some readers so I'm glad you enjoyed it. Petra was also wondering about the book so I checked if there were any reprints. No, there aren't, but one second-hand copy is going for $1700! Sue x
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