People who lived outside the binary
These figures dressed and presented in ways outside the male/female binary, but it is hard to say if they were transgender or gender-variant, or if they were acting against gender roles because their societies had strict roles for each. There are some figures that lean towards being transgender, but time and cultural change has made some more blurry than others. Regardless, these people are noted for straying from typical gender roles.
Hatshepsut is the longest-reigning female ruler of Egypt, and is considered an intelligent and powerful leader. However, she is also noted for having worn a false beard and, by her own decree, is mostly portrayed as male in images and sculptures.
At age 13, Joan of Arc (Jeanne d’Arc) heard voices that told her she was sent by God to save France and instill Charles of Valois as King of France. She cut her hair and wore men's clothing, and led several French assaults against the Anglo-Burgundians. She was eventually captured and persecuted for witchcraft, heresay, and cross dressing. She defied orders to confess and to stop wearing men's clothing, and at 19 she was burned at the stake. 20 years later, her name was cleared, and she was canonized by the Pope in 1920.
