Carlett Brown Angianlee
Carlett Brown Angianlee (born c. 1927) was a United States Navy veteran during the 1950s who, if she made it to Europe, was the first African American to undergo gender affirmation surgery.
Biography[edit]
From Pittsburgh, Angianlee was born c. 1927 as Charles Brown.[1] She joined the Navy in 1950 to be able to receive treatment for rectal and nasal bleeding.[1] While serving, she was diagnosed at the US Naval Hospital in Philadelphia for what was described as "a serious mental illness," wanting to be female.[1] The examinations also led to the discovery of "female glands," showing that Carlett was intersex.[1] Opposing the doctor's recommendation to have them surgically removed, Carlett decided instead to seek out a different type of surgery, sex reassignment surgery.[1]
Angianlee began writing to surgeons in Germany, Denmark, and Yugoslavia to see about getting SRS. Dr. Christian Hamburger responded, telling her citizenship was needed to have it done in Denmark.[1] She wrote to West Germany’s Minister of Justice Dr. Thomas Dehler and was told the same.[1] At some point, she arranged to gain citizenship and for the surgery to occur in Bonn, Germany, starting with hormone and cortisone injections.[1] Part of her desire to transition stemmed from her desire to marry Sgt. Eugene Martin, who was stationed in Germany at the time.[1][2] Claiming a two and a half year relationship with the man, she said that "We’ll be married as soon as I am legally a woman."[1] Once out of the navy, she moved to Boston where she made a living by working as a shake dancer and by selling her blood and plasma.[1][2]
Between June 18 and 25, 1953, Angianlee legally changed her name to Carlett Brown Angianlee, who was stationed in Germany.[3] She had renounced her American citizenship and planned to sail to Europe on the SS Holland on August 2.[2][3] Once there, she had planned doctors appointments to begin her transition.[2][3] About a month later, Agianlee made the decision to postpone the trip in order to undergo a $500 face lift in New York City from Dr. George J.B. Weiss.[4] Within the following month, she was ordered not to leave the country by the US government until she had paid $1,200 in back taxes.[5] To make more money to be able to pay this off, she got a job as a chief at an Iowa State College fraternity. Nothing beyond this point is known about her, and it is unknown if she ever made it to Europe.[5]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Male Shake Dancer Plans to Change Sex, Wed GI in Europe". JET. 4 (6): 24–25. June 18, 1953.
- ^ a b c d "Jail Male Shaker for Posing as Woman in Boston". JET. 4 (9): 20–21. July 9, 1953.
- ^ a b c "Male Dancer Becomes Danish Citizen to Change his Sex". JET. 4 (7): 26–27. June 25, 1953.
- ^ "Shake Dancer Postpones Sex Change for Face Lifting". JET. 4 (13): 19. August 6, 1953.
- ^ a b "Tax Snag Halts Male Dancer's Trip for Sex Change". JET. 4 (23): 19. October 15, 1953.
External links[edit]
- 1920s births
- 20th-century African-American women
- 20th-century American LGBT people
- Former United States citizens
- Intersex military personnel
- Intersex people and military service in the United States
- American intersex women
- African-American LGBT people
- American transgender women
- Transgender military personnel
- LGBT people from Pennsylvania