Reading Mademoiselle de Maupin | Alexandria
Read Mademoiselle de Maupin by Theophile Gautier. Defying gender norms, Gautier's scandalous 1835 novel tackles identity fluidity before modern concepts existed. Through a cross-dressing heroine pursuing both men and women, it shatters binary thinking and champions authentic selfhood - suggesting true beauty transcends social categories. A revelation that still challenges our assumptions about desire and identity.