Transgender History Makers They Didn't Teach You About In School

Jacqueline-Charlotte Dufresnoy was a famous actress in 20th-century France. She realized her trans identity when she was just four years old, later saying, "I knew I was different. I was a girl, really, but nobody could see it." Later, she became better known by the nickname of Coccinelle, meaning ladybug, a name that she earned while still a teenager for a black and red polka dot dress she wore. Using the same nickname as a stage name, she made her performance debut at the age of 22 and became wildly successful, with a blonde bombshell aesthetic modeled after big stars like Brigitte Bardot and Marilyn Monroe. Five years later, in 1958, she made history by becoming the first French person ever to undergo gender confirmation surgery.

Following news of her surgery, Coccinelle hit the big time herself, applauded by the press, and her cabaret show went on to tour around the world. Soon afterward, she appeared on the big screen, taking roles in movies in the 1960s. Coccinelle was also a talented vocalist, recording songs including an album entitled "Chercher la Femme." 

Notably, while she wasn't an activist, her life became a revolutionary act in itself. In 1960, she married the journalist Francis Bonnet in a full Catholic church ceremony. Rebaptized as Jacqueline, and fully recognized as a woman under French law, Coccinelle made history by establishing both the legal and religious right for trans people to marry in France.