The gallae, priests of Kybele in ancient Greece, Rome, and the Near East, violated the gender norms of their societies in several spectacular ways. Although assigned a male gender role at birth, they altered their genitals, and afterward dressed in women's clothing, wore feminine jewelry and other adornments, and spoke in a higher vocal register.
This thesis argues that the gallae and modern transsexuals share a common transgender experience, the meaning of which is constructed differently by their respective cultures. Using textual analysis, evidence from the archaeological record, and ethnographic parallels, it explores the similarities and differences between gallae and other transgender groups of people, including modern transsexuals.