Dr James Barry – Trans man or ambitious trickster?

I know it’s been a long time since I promised a post on Dr James Barry, the surgeon who rose through the ranks of the British Army and was renowned for their passionate dedication to public health reforms. Anyway, because it’s LGBTQ+ history month in the UK, I thought now was the time to make good on that promise.

In 1865, Dr Barry’s death caused a scandal when the nurse (or charwoman) who attended him revealed he inhabited a female body. The stretch marks discovered on their stomach suggested they had also carried a child. It amazed the populace that a woman could qualify as a doctor and rise through the ranks of the British Army without discovery. What has caused so much discussion in recent years is the reason behind Dr Barry’s actions.

Many argue that Dr Barry was simply an ambitious woman who wished to trick the world for their own vain purposes. Even Charles Dickens wrote, two years after Barry’s death, that it was “a mystery still” how the doctor had fooled so many for so long. This argument is countered by those who claim Dr Barry was simply a trans man who lived in the gender they believed should have been assigned to them at birth.

Unfortunately, we do not know about the internal struggles endured by Barry because he led an intensely private life. Barry did not keep a diary and never married. He lived only with a single servant and a menagerie of pets. All we can do is try to decipher Barry’s intentions from how he lived his life.

What do we know?

Dr James Barry was born as Margaret Ann Bulkley, circa 1790 in County Cork, Ireland. She was the second child of a grocer. Unlike her care-free brother, she was intelligent and expressed a desire to become a soldier. Historians say Margaret was raped in her teens and gave birth to a baby girl who was raised by her mother.

Her maternal uncle was the famous artist, James Barry. He introduced Margaret to some highly influential members of the aristocracy. James Barry, the artist, died in 1809, leaving an unexpected inheritance to his niece. From that point, Margaret Bulkley vanished and a young James Barry, nephew of the famous artist, enrolled in medical school at Edinburgh University.

After earning his degree and passing the examination for the Royal College of Surgeons, he joined the British Army. Barry was posted around the world, rising to become Inspector General in charge of military hospitals by 1857.

During that time, he developed a reputation for his belligerent dedication to improving sanitation and medical care for the rich, the poor, colonists, and slaves alike. He was also renowned for shouting, swearing, and insulting those who opposed him, including his superiors.

How did Barry do it?

Upon his death, it was clear the discovery that Barry inhabited the body of a female didn’t shock everyone.

We know Barry used stacked heels and stuffing to help him appear more masculine, but he often had to call upon the assistance of his influential patrons. Over the years, Barry had become adept at making friends in high places who helped him along the way whenever his slight stature, or young appearance, was ever questioned. For example, Lord Buchan, his uncle’s friend, intervened to enable him to join the army when he was accused of lying about his age.

Was his coarseness and foul temper a result of the incessant stress of keeping up appearances, or was it an attempt to seem more masculine in the eyes of others? He even fought a duel when a fellow officer dared to poke fun at his feminine form.

Barry narrowly avoided a scandal when he was posted in South Africa. Lord Charles Somerset, governor of the cape colony, became a very close friend, and Barry moved into the governor’s residence. Somerset was accused of “buggering Dr Barry”, but the accuser was never identified, and the claims were never substantiated.

Barry’s personal physician may also have suspected, but kept quiet about, the sex of his patient. Major McKinnon, who signed the death certificate, said it was “none of my business” whether Barry was male or female.

Was Barry motivated by ambition or identity?

The notion that Barry was a woman ahead of her times, or an ambitious trickster who took pleasure in fooling the world, seems to stem from the romantic notion of a woman who wants to prove their worth in a man’s world.

We know there have been plenty of women throughout history that donned men’s clothes to fulfil their ambitions. For example, some joined the army (usually to be with their male lover) or sought fortune and adventure on the high seas. However, these women usually adopted a male identity for a set amount of time, then returned to their female gender and clothing once they accomplished their goals.

Barry, on the other hand, lived as a man for over 50 years, both publicly and privately. He signed his letters as a man and used male pronouns, never once returning to his former identity.

We can also draw on Barry’s requests regarding what was to happen after his death to help us decipher his intentions. If Barry’s requests had not been ignored, his body would never have been washed and he would have been buried in the clothes in which he died.

Was Barry a Trickster?

So, is it wrong for historians with no experience of what transgender individuals have endured along their journey to dismiss Barry as a trickster or ambitious female? Many transgender individuals today would certainly recognise and empathise with elements of Barry’s story.

It’s impossible to deny that Barry tried to ensure his identity was upheld and respected after his death.

What’s more important is to recognise that, regardless of gender, Barry wanted to help people. He wanted to improve medical care and ensure it was available to everyone.

Whatever one thinks, one cannot deny that Dr James Barry was a committed surgeon, sanitary reformer and humanitarian who advocated the best possible medical care for all.