The He-She Ladies: The Case of Boulton and Park

In 1870, Fanny ‘Fredrich’ Park and Stella ‘Ernest’ Boulton were arrested at the Strand Theatre by three undercover policemen and prosecuted for violating the Offences Against Persons Act of 1861 – aka, Solicitation for Sodomy. They also left behind rare visual sources of their cross-dressing, which are managed by the national archives. Alongside their letters and the trial where they were found not guilty under a defence that argued that they were so 'outrageous' they couldn't be sodomites trying to hide their lives - their story is an important history lesson. Their case predated a story we all know better, Oscar Wilde's, with their case setting a precedent that went on to be used against the author.

Episode Credits: This episode was produced by HRH Aphrodite I. Executive production by Amber Devereux and Jamie Wareham. This episode was produced as part of QueerAF's Trans+ History Week mentoring programme with thanks to Trans+ History Week's Creative Talent Sponsor, Publicis Groupe UK. Additional thanks to the National Archives of Great Britain. Music: “Estimations”, “Lambent (Arr. Gabel)”, “Fortis”, “Buried in the Dirt”, “Progression”, “Desert Hideout”, “Missing Memory”, “Partners in Crime”, and “Crescere” all by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen. Licensed under Epidemic Sounds.

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