Colonised Bodies

How Pre-modern Trans Historians Have Aided the Reclaiming of the Non-Cisgendered Racialised Body

Abstract

This essay argues that contemporary Western narratives framing non-cisgendered and racialised bodies as "unnatural" are deeply rooted in the enduring legacy of colonial ideology, which privileges a white, European, cisgender norm. In response, it positions pre-modern trans historiography as a critical intervention that challenges and destabilises these narratives by demonstrating the historical presence and cultural legitimacy of diverse gender expressions across time and place. Ultimately, the essay contends that pre-modern trans historiography not only recovers marginalised identities but also actively reclaims the "othered" body as natural, complex, and historically grounded. In doing so, it challenges the authority of contemporary exclusionary discourses and contributes to a broader reimagining of gender beyond colonial binaries.