Fanny and Stella, also known as Frederick William Park (1848-1881) and Ernest Boulton (1848 - 1905), were two Victorian cross dressers, who were put on trial for “conspiring and inciting persons to commit an unnatural offence” and “buggery” in 1871.

Boulton had enjoyed wearing female clothing since childhood, being given the nickname ‘Stella’ by his mother. As a young man, he met Park, a law student, and the two became a theatrical double act.

For a number of years they frequented West End venues in London, wearing female clothing. They were ejected from several places after being mistaken for prostitutes. They were even, on one occasion, mistaken for women dressed as men.

In 1870, they were arrested when leaving the Strand Theatre. Their arrest and subsequent trial attracted great public interest, with the two being dubbed the “He-She Ladies’ in the press.

The prosecution was unable to prove that either had committed any ‘homosexual offence’, nor than men wearing women’s clothing was a breach of English law. The jury found them not guilty and they were released in 1871.

Source: Wikipedia

Check out more trans history on Gendered Intelligence’s ‘Trans History’ tag.