Alan L. Hart
A transgender pioneer who not only lived authentically but revolutionized tuberculosis screening, saving untold thousands of lives.
1890–1962 (age 72)·Transgender American physician and writer·Birthday: October 4·The Lost Generation
Biography
Alan L. Hart's life was a story of profound courage and lifesaving science. Assigned female at birth, Hart knew from childhood he was male. In 1917, after graduating from medical school, he underwent a hysterectomy and began living as a man, one of the first known transgender men in the United States to undergo surgery. This transition cost him his first marriage and forced him to move frequently to build a new career, but he never wavered. He channeled his resilience into medicine, specializing in radiology. At a time when tuberculosis was a rampant killer, Hart had a revolutionary idea: using portable X-ray units for mass screening. He tirelessly advocated for and implemented these programs, first in rural areas and later as director of tuberculosis control for the Connecticut State Health Department. His work identified asymptomatic carriers, allowing for early treatment and containment. While he faced personal prejudice, his medical legacy is monumental—a public health innovation born from a relentless drive to live truthfully and serve others.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Alan was born in 1890, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1890
Alan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1890Born
Wounded Knee massacre marks the end of the Indian Wars
President: Benjamin Harrison
1895Started school
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1903Became a teenager
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1906Could drive
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Could vote
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1911Turned 21
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1920Turned 30
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1930Turned 40
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1940Turned 50
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1950Turned 60
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1960Turned 70
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1962Died at 72
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
Key Achievements
- Pioneered the use of mass X-ray screenings to detect tuberculosis, a foundational practice in modern public health.
- Served as the director of tuberculosis control for the Connecticut State Health Department for 16 years.
- Authored several medical papers on radiology and tuberculosis, along with novels drawing from his medical experience.
- Earned a medical degree from the University of Oregon in 1917 and later a master's in radiology from the University of Pennsylvania.
- Lived openly as a transgender man in the early 20th century, undergoing gender-affirming surgery in 1917.
Did You Know?
He published several novels under his name, including 'Doctor Mallory' and 'The Undaunted,' which often featured medical themes.
To protect his identity after transition, he sometimes obtained new medical licenses under his male name when moving states.
Hart was an avid gardener and enjoyed studying wildflowers.
His groundbreaking tuberculosis work in Connecticut involved screening entire towns and cities with mobile X-ray units.
He was married twice, to women who knew his history, and both marriages ended in divorce.
“My work in radiology will save more lives than any debate about me.”
