Today in Labor History November 3, 1889: Amelio Robles Avila was born in Xochipala, Guerrero, Mexico. Assigned female at birth, Robles lived openly as a man from the age of 24 until his death at the age of 95. In 1911, Robles fought in the Mexican Revolution and for the overthrow of Porfirio Diaz. From 1913-1918, Robles fought as “el Coronel Robles” with the Zapatistas and was eventually given his own command. After Zapata was killed, he fought under Obregon in the Agua Prieta Revolt. One of his neighbors said that any time someone misgendered him, he would threaten them with a pistol. A public school was named after him using the masculine version of his name, though there is a museum in Xochipala that refers to him as “Coronela Amelia Robles.”

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