Robina Asti

Robina Asti was assigned male at birth and born in 1921. She was born in New York City, and when she was 17, she dropped out of high school to join the US Navy. She became a pilot, and worked her way up to become a lieutenant commander. After being discharged, she briefly opened a restaurant before becoming the vice president of a mutual fund firm. She married Evangeline Diaz-Perez, and in 1976 with the support of her partner, she began to transition. After Asti’s gender affirming surgery, the couple decided to split. She went on to work as a makeup artist, and served as a chairperson for the Ninety-Nines, an organization for female pilots. Asti later met artist Norwood Patten and they married in 2004. After Patten died, Asti could not collect his Social Security benefits because she was transgender. Asti later successfully challenged the ruling, and gave transgender people everywhere the right to collect their deceased partner’s benefits. Asti later founded the Cloud Dancers Foundation (an organization for trans elders), and was recognized as the oldest active pilot and oldest active flight instructor. She died shortly before her 100th birthday.