Introduction: Extraordinary lives. --

Part one: UK husbands, 1740-1840: 1. The first female husband --

2. The pillar of the community --

3. The sailors and soldiers --

4. The wives. --

Part two: US husbands, 1830-1910: 5. The workers --

6. The activists --

7. The criminalized poor --

8. The end of a category. --

Conclusion: Sex trumps gender --

Epilogue: The first female-to-male transsexual.