The Fastest Girl in New York; or, The Beauty in Man's Clothes, New York, 1873 or 1874. Catalog record
This title is included in the Digital Transgender Archive.
Researchers can find a variety of primary and secondary sources documenting representations and lived experiences of gender roles and relations through approximately 1900.
Finding Primary Sources
The General Catalog uses Library of Congress subject headings. Researchers can use the following terms:
- Courtship
- Cross-dressing
- Gay men
- Gender identity
- Female impersonators
- Free love
- Homosexuality
- Lesbianism
- Male friendship
- Male impersonators
- Masculinity
- Polygamy
- Prostitutes
- Sex customs
- Sex in literature
- Sex role
- Sex role in literature
- Sexual ethics
- Tomboys
- Transgender people
- Women soldiers
- Women sailors
- Young men--Conduct of life
- Young women--Conduct of life
This image is included in the Digital Transgender Archive.
The General Catalog uses genre/form terms to make findable works relating to gender and sexuality studies through approximately 1900. Researchers can use the following terms:
If you don't find what you are looking for please email our staff at reference [at] mwa.org (reference[at]mwa[dot]org).
Digital Collections and Projects
The following project websites and research tools are freely available from anywhere.
- Digital Transgender Archive
- Isaiah Thomas Broadside Ballads Project
"Subjects" listings include many related to sexuality - Risqué Literature Published in America before 1877 (pdf) by Marcus A. McCorrison
- That’s So Gay: Outing Early America
The following digital collections are available to researchers who are present at AAS and signed on to AAS networks. Publishers provide separate tools for searching their collections. Some feature materials not held at AAS.
- American Historical Periodicals (Gale)
- America's Historical Newspapers (Readex)
- American Underworld: The Flash Press (Readex)
- Crime, Punishment, and Popular Culture (Gale)
Recorded Programs
Watch past gender and sexuality studies programs most of which resulted from research completed in the AAS collection.
Fellowship Opportunities
The American Antiquarian Society awards over forty-five fellowships annually. Fellowships are offered for postdoctoral academics, advanced graduate students, independent scholars, as well as for creative and performing artists and writers.