Three years ago, I had a converstation with an anarchist (that I know from my former days at libcom) who wrote a text about this anarchist figure (with a sub-title iirc of something like the anarchist Joan of Arc), the gist of which might be of interest to the general public. I here only post the content of my own mails, largely unredacted:

Marusya Nikiforova: transwoman?

A 1996 article from "Black Star" (which I guess is the same anarchist journal of today's KRAS or anarcho-communist Межпрофессиональный союз трудящихся, but I can be mistaken about this) was put online (by a Maoist site, but which seems to be pro LGBT): maoism.ru

The article cites in support for its contention (of being a transsexual, or at least intersex) eg, memoirs of the SR Никитина Е. Д. (Новинское освобождение каторжанок из московской женской тюрьмыeg ), as well as Бетра Бабина (no reference though). Apparently also consulted Cheka materials:

This fact is confirmed by the materials of the investigation file opened by the Cheka on Marusya in the summer of 1918. It contains the testimony of the anarchist Artemiy Gladkikh, interrogated in the case of the atrocities of the Marusia detachment. He claims that he knew Marusya as a man in Paris when she bore the name Volodya. Andreev later admitted that he had heard from people who knew her closely from Paris, as if Marusa in those years had one of the world's first hormonal gland transplants and she completely turned into a woman.

One of the article's authors, historian Alexander Kolpakidi, seems to write mostly books on Russia's secret services.

Historians, including yourself, do mention it (also in an article for a leftist journal 2013 issue on gender here), but the interest today in the trans topic is much greater, so that even the Maoists (that I linked) sense an opportunity to stress this aspect of Nikiforova's person. I haven't seen it stressed much in English. And even if one doesn't want to appeal to popular tastes (I think it will really popular for the libcom crowd), or you don't think there is enough reliable info, I imagine myself in your anti-Bolshevik position, that by raising this issue, you may cast them as transphobic (or bigoted against intersex, or gender non-conforming people), and score big anarchist points (+ re-up attention for Nikiforova).

The historians checked the angry letter sent by the anarchist Andreev (in response to the first edition of Nikitina's memoirs, btw translated in German, and Andreev's letter was mentioned in her preface to the second edition 1932), but there is little reason to doubt the particulars about the situation in female prison (eg that other prisoners made rumors about Nikiforova, that she had a separate bed, etc.). You could translate this passage, and other materials, for a separate article or just thread/comment.

It's no use to look for medical reports because eg "complete androgen insensitivity syndrome" (genetically male, outwardly female, including vagina) can't be detected (except I guess by autopsy at the time). Btw, Makhno got his scar during the stay in Poland 1922 from his wife who tried to kill him in his sleep. That he had played roles of, or sometimes disguised as, female, is nothing significant.

The best (and really only) proof we can find are signs of eg CAIS in Nikiforova's biography, foremost, the lack of menses/fertility, possibly pain during penetrative intercourse (so avoidance), and possibly other health problems (I'm no expert). It was perhaps an understandable taboo (for even any normal person), if she never discussed these things (with a doctor), or talked about her marital relations, and also that Nikitina [Marusya's husband] would self-censor, would not go into such details (eg lack of menses) due to soviet respectability, and apparently it's not something even today that guys want to discuss. I don't buy that Nikitina would just casually claim that Marusya was a hermaphrodite.

Incidentally about your sub-title (Joan of Arc), there is a book by Anatole France from which apparently she comes out in quite a different, bad light (French nationalists took offense at the book), so perhaps today you wouldn't have invoked her as an example of a "girl-boss".

[tangent on explanation for Makhno's scar] I believe you had checked a medical report, that rules this out:

he had to undergo a complete physical exam when seeking refuge in Poland in 1922, and the detailed report doesn't mention such a scar, although it describes a wound to his foot. So this scientific evidence proves the facial scar was acquired in exile.

If you speculate that Mett's claim is based on sexual jealousy, on what is that speculation based? She didn't assert that Galina was definitely death, noting that perhaps she's still living in Russia. I would be surprised if Galina could refute this and other claims, since it'd be difficult (in the USSR) for her to learn about or get access to Mett's writings.

The internet lingo "girl-boss", if I understand it, is a superficial/neoliberal icon of female empowerment, but my tangent was, that in relation to historical figures, Joan of Arc is perhaps not really such an admirable figure.

And with that last email of mine, the conversation ended.

Maybe this thread can provide a refuge-place to help anarchists in the UK to more openly/constructively debate with each other on this topic. I can add more thoughts on this, but maybe that's for later.