Magnus Hirschfeld

Magnus Hirschfeld was a pioneering German physician and sexologist.

He is recognized as one of the most influential sexologists of the 20th century. Sexology is the scientific study of human sexuality. Hirschfeld dedicated his life to understanding sexual orientation and gender. He believed that scientific knowledge could reduce social hostility. He used science to advocate for the rights of sexual minorities. His work sought to prove that diverse sexualities are natural biological phenomena.

Hirschfeld's academic journey was very broad. He studied philosophy and philology, which is the study of language. He eventually moved to the University of Strasbourg to study medicine and natural sciences. Later, he studied in Berlin and at the University of Munich. He also completed military service in Heidelberg while continuing his medical studies. In 1892, he earned his medical degree. His thesis focused on how influenza affects the nervous system. After graduating, he traveled extensively through France, Italy, and the United States.

During his travels, Hirschfeld developed a theory about the universality of homosexuality. While in Chicago, he noticed similarities between American and German homosexual subcultures. He researched evidence of gay subcultures in cities like Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro. In 1896, a tragic event became the catalyst for his activism. A young lieutenant whom he was treating for depression took his own life. The officer's suicide note expressed deep shame regarding his desire for men. Hirschfeld realized that social stigma was causing immense suffering. This led him to argue that homosexuality is a biological, naturally occurring phenomenon.

To support his theories, Hirschfeld engaged in global research. In 1896, he visited human zoos at the Great Business Exhibition of Berlin. These exhibitions displayed people from German colonies in Africa and New Guinea. Hirschfeld used interpreters to ask these individuals about sexuality in their own cultures. He wanted to prove that homosexuality existed in every culture. This research informed his 1914 book, *The Homosexuality of Men and Women*. He also wrote a book on transvestism in 1910. He sought to categorize sexual traits on a spectrum of masculinity and femininity.

In 1897, Hirschfeld founded the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee. He worked alongside Max Spohr, Eduard Oberg, and Franz Joseph von Bülow. The committee's motto was "Justice through science." Their primary goal was to repeal Paragraph 175. This was a section of the German penal code that criminalized homosexuality. The group argued that this law encouraged blackmail. Hirschfeld gathered 6,000 signatures from famous figures to support a petition. Signatories included Albert Einstein, Thomas Mann, and even Leo Tolstoy. Despite this support, the bill only saw minority support in the Reichstag.

Hirschfeld also used statistics to address the high rates of suicide among homosexuals. He created anonymous questionnaires to collect data. He estimated that 3 out of every 100 gay men committed suicide annually. He also found that 25 percent of gay men had attempted suicide. He argued that the social "hell" experienced by these individuals made life unbearable. He frequently referenced the 1895 trial of Oscar Wilde to illustrate this point. Wilde's public downfall served as a symbol of the shame forced upon sexual minorities. Hirschfeld believed that scientific truth was the only way to end this cycle of suffering.

In the 1930s, Hirschfeld faced severe persecution from the Nazi government. In 1933, the Nazis revoked his German citizenship. They targeted his Institute for Sexual Science, known as the *Institut für Sexualwissenschaft*. Nazi activists looted the institute and burned its many books. This destruction was part of a larger effort to erase his scientific contributions. Hirschfeld was forced into exile in France to find safety. He spent his final years in Nice. He died there on May 14, 1935, the same day as his 67th birthday.