The first set of conjoined twins to identify as different genders has died at 62

Lori and George Schappell, the world’s oldest conjoined twins, passed away on Sunday, April 7, at age 62. The twins made history in several ways, including becoming the first conjoined twins to identify as different genders after George came out as trans in 2007.

Born September 18, 1961, in West Reading, Pennsylvania, Lori and George were fused together at their skulls. Nevertheless, they were very different people who managed to create unique lives for themselves.

Related:

Rise of the queer power couple: New book offers intimate glimpse into 14 extraordinary love stories

The book’s creators – a queer power couple themselves – wanted to celebrate that queer power couples now exist in droves as more folks come out.

Lori was a champion bowler, and George was a successful country music singer who won an LA Music Award for Best New Country Artist. In a 1997 documentary, the siblings demonstrated how they respected each other’s privacy and lived as individuals. In the documentary, Lori also urged viewers to get past the fact of the twins’ condition because there was so much more to each of them that deserved attention and acknowledgment than the fact that they were conjoined.

Never Miss a Beat

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights.

Daily

Weekly

Good News

“We are not one person with two bodies,” Lori declared.

“Why fix what is not broken??” George added when asked if they wished they had been separated.

George kept his trans identity hidden for decades — even from his sister. “I have known from a very young age that I should have been a boy,” he told The Sun in 2011.

Eventually, it became too much to hold in. “It was so tough, but I was getting older and I simply didn’t want to live a lie. I knew I had to live my life the way I wanted.”

Lori was also very supportive, stating, “Obviously it was a shock when Dori changed to George, but I am so proud of him. It was a huge decision but we have overcome so much in our lives and together we are such a strong team. Nothing can break that.”