#sergeant jackrum

There is a certain reassurance, as a trans person, to look through history and find others just like yourself. However, despite the fact that transgender people always have and always will exist, looking for specific examples in the past is a complete quagmire, especially with trans men. The question is often posed ‘were they really trans or did they just want to live a better life in a world that is unfairly stacked against AFAB people?’ (for example the majority of history books consider Pharaoh Hatshepsut to be female).

For me, reading ‘Monstrous regiment’ came hot on the heels (coincidentally) of finishing another book ‘Before we were trans’ by Kit Heyam. It argues that our roles in society are so closely woven together with gender that it’s impossible to separate the two. It’s counterproductive to try and look at historical figures with modern attitudes towards gender.

So why bring this up? Well, Jackrum is a soldier. And because he is a soldier he is a man.

That does not make him any less trans. Let me explain.

When Jackrum joined the army he did not do it because of a burning desire to live as a man, he did it to be with the man he loved. If he could have fought by William’s side as a woman would he have, or would he have still felt more at home as a man? We’ll never know so it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that Jackrum has spent so long living as a man that he feels no connection to what he left behind. He’s quite happy to carry on like he’s been doing all this time.