Arts & Entertainment
90-year-old WWII veteran comes out as transgender
the former soldier is now taking estrogen and living as a woman
World War II veteran Patricia Davies has come out as transgender at the age of 90.
The New York Post reports Davies, who was born Peter, says she knew she was transgender since she was a child. Davies says she waited decades to come out for fear of electric shock treatment and abuse. Coming out as transgender while serving in the army would also have classified her as homosexual which was not allowed in the army.
āThe atmosphere was not safe. People did not understand what transgender was,ā Davies, who served in the British Army between 1945 and 1948, says.
āI feel quite proud having served during the war and having done military service, in particular during the trouble in Palestine,ā Davies continued.
After learning about transgender identity from a television show in the ’70s, Davies decided to come out to her late wife in 1987.
āI was 60 when it all came pouring out to my wife, she was very sympathetic and helped me all the way, but we agreed to keep it quiet,ā Davies, whose wife died six years ago, says.
After coming out to her wife, Davies decided to be more open and wear women’s shoes and jewelry. While her wife was accepting, others were abusive.
āShe used to buy me jewellery and she would call me Patricia. I kept it a complete secret,” Davies says. Ā āWhen I first came out to my wife I started to wear female shoes, some teenagers spotted it and started hurling abuse. They used to often throw eggs at my windows too. They did it so much I had to get the police involved. But they have grown up and gone now thankfully.”
Now Davies finally feels comfortable being out to the world and is taking estrogen.
āItās not 100 percent safe now but itās much better than it was. People that I have told seem to be very accommodating and havenāt thrown abuse at me,ā Davies says.
a&e features
Author of new book empowers Black āfatā femme voices
After suicidal thoughts, attacks from far right, a roadmap to happiness
In 2017, Jon Paul was suicidal. In nearly every place Paul encountered, there were signs that consistently reminded the transgender community that their presence in America by the far right is unwelcomed.
Former President Donald Trump’s anti-trans rhetoric is “partly” responsible for Paul’s suicidal contemplation.
“I’m driving out of work, and I’m seeing all of these Trump flags that are telling me that I could potentially lose my life over just being me and wanting to be who I am,” Paul said. “So, were they explicitly the issue? No, but did they add to it? I highly would say yes.”
During Trump’s time as president, he often disapproved of those who identified as transgender in America; the former president imposed a ban on transgender individuals who wanted to join the U.S. military.
“If the world keeps telling me that I don’t have a reason for me to be here and the world is going to keep shaming me for being here. Then why live?” Paul added.
The rhetoric hasn’t slowed and has been a messaging tool Trump uses to galvanize his base by saying that Democrats like Vice President Kamala Harris “want to do transgender operations on illegal aliens that are in prison.” Trump made that claim at the presidential debate against Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Not only do Trump’s actions hurt Paul, but they also affect 17-year-old Jacie MichelleĆ©, a transgender person at Friendly Senior High School.
“When former President Donald J. Trump speaks on transgender [individuals] in a negative light, it saddens my heart and makes me wonder what he thinks his personal gain is from making these comments will be,” MichelleĆ© said.
“When these comments are made toward trans immigrants or the transgender community, it baffles me because it shows me that the times are changing and not for the better,” MichelleĆ© added.
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation responded to Trump’s rhetoric that opposes the transgender community and how it affects democracy through programming at its Annual Legislative ConferenceĀ in Washington.
“Our agendas are not set by what other groups are saying we should or shouldn’t do. It is set by our communities and what we know the needs and the most pressing needs are for the Black community, and we know that our global LGBTQAI+ communities have needs; they are a part of our community,” said Nicole Austin-Hillery, president and CEO of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
One pressing need is suicide prevention, which theĀ National Institute of HealthĀ deems necessary, as 82% of transgender individuals have reported having suicidal thoughts, while 40% have attempted suicide. This research applies to individuals like Paul, who reported contemplating suicide.
But instead of choosing to self-harm, Paul metĀ Latrice Royale, a fourth-season contestant on āRuPaul’s Drag Race,ā who was awarded the title of Miss Congeniality while on the show. Paul said that meeting brought meaning when there was barely any left.
“It was like I met them at a time where I really, truly, not only needed to see them, but I needed to be able to actively know ‘girl’ you can live and you can have a really a good life, right? And Latrice was that for me,” Paul said.
Though Trump is representative of a lot of movements that are clashing with society, theĀ Democratic PartyĀ is actively pushing back against anti-transgender movements and says there is āstill much work to be done.ā
Not only did Royale model success for Paul, but they also share the same appearance. Paul proudly identifies as “fat” and uses this descriptor as a political vehicle to empower others in the book “Black Fat Femme, Revealing the Power of Visibly Queer Voices in the Media and Learning to Love Yourself.”
“My book, my work as a Black, fat femme, is inherently political. I say this at the very front of my book,” Paul said. “All three of those monikers are all three things in this world that the world hates and is working overtime to get rid of.”
“They’re trying to kill me as a Black person; they’re trying to get rid of me as a fat person. They are trying to get rid of me as a queer person,” Paul added.
Besides Paul’s political statements, the book’s mission is to give those without resources a blueprint to make it across the finish line.
“I want them to look at all the stories that I share in this and be able to say, ‘wow,’ not only do I see myself, but now I have a roadmap and how I can navigate all of these things that life throws at me that I never had, and I think that’s why I was so passionate about selling and writing the book,” Paul said.
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Out & About
Capital Pride to honor LGBTQ heroes
50 years of Pride in D.C. celebrated at Facebook Live event
The Capital Pride Alliance, in partnership with Team Rayceen Productions and the 50th anniversary subcommittee of Pride in the Nationās Capital, will host āAn Evening with LGBTQ+ Heroesā on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. on Facebook Live.
Capital Pride will celebrate 50 years of Pride in D.C. by highlighting the heroes who were recognized at the Capital Pride Honors annual event, formerly called the Heroes Gala. The event will feature some of these honorees who will share their history and thoughts on what Pride means.
Panelists include Earline Budd, legendary community advocate, co-founder of Transgender Health Empowerment and Capital Pride Superhero; June Crenshaw, Co-Chair, 2025 World Pride Steering Committee, Executive Director, Wanda Alston Foundation; Jose Gutierrez, founder of the Latino GLBT History Project, the DC Latino Pride and co-founder of the Rainbow History Project; and Peter Rosenstein, activist, journalist and author “Born this Gay: My Life of Activism, Politics, Travel, and Coming Out.”
For more details, visit Facebook.Ā
The D.C. Center for the LGBT Community will begin hosting āVogue Sessionsā every Saturday beginning Saturday, Sept. 28 at 2 p.m.
This is an all-ages vogue session drop-in hosted by DMV Kiki Nights, open to all ages, genders, and experience levels, and will be facilitated each-one-teach-one. No shade, no drama, no categories.
DJ Tony Play starts spinning at 3 p.m. Enter through the U Street facing glass doors and let security know you are going to the DC Center.
For more details, email Danyela June Brown at [email protected].
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