Eleno de Céspedes

Eleno de Cespedes signature

Eleno de Céspedes was a 16th-century intersex and transgender individual from Spain, whose life and trial for heresy and sodomy provide a rare historical insight into the treatment and perception of gender non-conformity during the Spanish Inquisition. Born around 1545 in Alhama de Granada, Céspedes was assigned female at birth and initially lived as a woman, marrying a man and bearing a child. However, after being widowed, Céspedes began to live and work as a man, adopting the name Eleno de Céspedes and eventually marrying a woman.

Early Life

Little is known about the early life of Eleno de Céspedes. Born into poverty, Céspedes was initially raised as a girl. After the death of their first spouse, Céspedes started to present as male, a decision that was likely influenced by the social and economic benefits afforded to men at the time. Céspedes trained and worked as a surgeon and barber, professions that were typically male-dominated.

Marriage and Trial

Céspedes's second marriage, to a woman, brought them to the attention of the Spanish Inquisition. Accused of sodomy and witchcraft, Céspedes underwent a series of trials that scrutinized their gender identity and sexual practices. During the trial, Céspedes claimed to be intersex, possessing physical characteristics of both genders. This claim led to a medical examination, the results of which are not conclusively known but were used to convict Céspedes of heresy and sodomy.

Legacy

The trial and subsequent punishment of Eleno de Céspedes highlight the rigid gender norms and the persecution of those who deviated from them during the Spanish Inquisition. Céspedes's story is one of the earliest documented cases of a person living and being legally recognized in a gender different from their sex assigned at birth in European history. It provides valuable insights into the understanding and treatment of gender non-conformity in the past.

Céspedes's life and trial have been the subject of academic study in the fields of gender studies, history, and law. They are often cited as an early example of transgender existence in European history, challenging the notion that transgender identities are a modern phenomenon.

See Also

• Spanish Inquisition
• Intersex
• Transgender history
• Gender nonconformity