Monsieur D'Eon is a Woman

Exploring the life of Charles d'Eon de Beaumont, this biography delves into the complex interplay of gender and identity in 18th-century Europe. After serving as a diplomat, soldier, and spy, d'Eon became embroiled in rumors about being a woman, ultimately living as one for 30 years at the behest of Louis XVI. Celebrated as a remarkable woman, d'Eon's true male identity was only revealed posthumously. Gary Kates vividly reconstructs the societal norms of the time while portraying d'Eon's unique challenge to these conventions.