Not Your Founding Father.

The article focuses on Jemima Wilkinson, a young Quaker woman who, after a near-death experience in 1776, claimed to be transformed into a nongendered divine messenger known as the Public Universal Friend. Wilkinson’s transformation included adopting male attire and rejecting traditional gender roles, emphasizing the belief that the soul’s value transcends physical and social distinctions such as gender, race, and status. The Friend preached universal salvation, personal agency, and moral living during a turbulent period in American history, challenging societal norms and advocating for individual choice in spiritual and earthly matters. This message attracted significant public attention and controversy, highlighting early expressions of gender nonconformity and egalitarian religious thought. [Extracted from the article]