Gerda Wegener: The Forgotten Queer Icon of Art Deco

Born in 1885, Gerda Wegener was a Danish artist married to Lili Elbe, one of the pioneering transgender women to receive gender-affirming surgery. Wegener gained acclaim as an illustrator for Vogue and La Vie Parisienne, where she explored themes of femininity and queer women's love. After her studies in Copenhagen, she relocated to Paris in 1912 with her husband, Einar Wegener, who transitioned to Lili Elbe. Wegener's artistic style merged Art Nouveau with Art Deco. In 1913, Elbe began publicly identifying with her new name, and they lived openly as a same-sex couple. Following Elbe's surgeries by Magnus Hirschfeld, she passed away after the fourth operation. Wegener's career waned after Elbe's death, with much of her work published underground. The 2015 film The Danish Girl faced criticism for minimizing Wegener's contributions.