Essex County resident Dorothie Hoyt was charged with crossdressing. "Dorothie Hoyt, called into court upon her presentment for putting on man's apparel, made default, she having gone out of the county. " "It was ordered that she be apprehended as soon as she returned, and be severely whipped unless her father forthwith pay a fine of 40s. in corn or money." Transgender people had a hard life in the 17th century.


Pictured: Dorothie Hoyt and disapproving Puritans (AI generated drawing)

Location: Essex county, MA

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_history_in_Massachusetts
https://westinnewengland.blogspot.com/2009/07/case-of-dorothy-hoyt.html

Date: 1677-08-20