Coccinelle

Jacqueline Charlotte Dufresnoy (23 August 1931 – 9 October 2006), better known by her stage name Coccinelle ("ladybird" in French), was a French cabaret entertainer, singer, actress, and transgender activist. She was the first widely publicized celebrity transgender woman to undergo gender reassignment in Europe. Coccinelle was an international celebrity and a renowned club singer, styled as a blonde bombshell and sex symbol.

Biography Early life and education Dufresnoy was born in Paris in 1931 to a working class family at rue Notre Dame de Nazareth No. 66 in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris. Her mother sold flowers in the Pigalle district. At school she played with the girls and was nicknamed "little princess". The club also featured regular acts by other transgender women such as April Ashley and Bambi. Coccinelle's friendship with Bambi was important and the two supported each other.

In 1959 with the help of lawyer, Robert Badinter she legally changed her gender. This legal step thus permitted her to marry and on 16 March 1962, she married French journalist Francis Paul Bonnet at a highly publicised civil ceremony at the town hall of the 17th arrondissement of Paris followed by the church of Saint-Jean de Montmartre on the condition that she was re-baptised since being recognised as a woman. This was the first union involving a transgender person to be officially acknowledged by the government of France, thereby establishing transgender people's legal right to marry. Her marriage to Bonnet was dissolved in 1962. She then married Paraguayan dancer Mario Costa in 1963, who died in 1977. She then married fellow transgender activist Thierry Wilson in 1996.

Transgender activism and later life Coccinelle worked extensively as an activist on behalf of transgender people, founding the organization "Devenir Femme" (To Become Woman), which was designed to provide emotional and practical support to those seeking gender reassignment surgery. She also helped establish the Center for Aid, Research, and Information for Transsexuality and Gender Identity. Her 1987 autobiography, titled Coccinelle par Coccinelle, was published by Daniel Filipacchi.

An Ecuadorian LGBTQI+ association founded in 1997 was named after her.

Death Coccinelle was hospitalised in July 2006 following a stroke. She later died on 9 October in Marseille and her funeral was held at Eglise Saint-Roch de Paris.

Filmography Year Film Role Other notes1962 I Don Giovanni della Costa AzzurraHerself 1962 Los viciososHerself 1968 Días de viejo colorAsistene a la fiesta

Discography Coccinelle No 1 (President Records No 38." cda 1052) Tu t'fous de moi [You don't care about me] L'Amour a fleur de coeur [Heart-deep Love] Prends-moi ou laisse-moi [Take me or leave me] Tu es là [You are there]

Coccinelle No 2 (President Records No 12" cda 1052) Je cherche un millionnaire [I'm looking for a millionaire] Avec mon petit faux-cul [With my little false bottom]

Coccinelle - 4 chansons de la Revue de l'Olympia "Chercher la femme" (RCA VICTOR 86.012M - 1963) Cherchez la femme [Look for the woman] On fait tout à la main [Everything is done by hand] C'est sûrement vous [It's probably you] Depuis toujours [Since forever]

Star du Carrousel de Paris CD (Marianne Melodie 041625) Compilation of 20 titles.