Trans+ History Week 2026

Have you ever thought about who came before us?

Trans, non-binary, and gender diverse identities are not modern concepts, we have always been here and will always be here. Trans+ History Week, which takes place over the 4-10th May, gives us an opportunity to learn, acknowledge, and celebrate the history of trans, non-binary, and gender diverse individuals and the impact they've had on our society.

The date specifically aligns with the 6th May, the anniversary of the Nazi raid on the first ever transgender clinic, The Institute of Sexology, in 1933. The clinic was established in 1919 by Dr Magnus Hirschfeld who luckily survived the raid as he himself was a jewish homoseuxal. However, 20,000 books and further research was destroyed in one of the first public book burnings by the Nazi regime. 

Gender identity is not a symptom of the modern LGBT+ movement and social media, and accounts of trans, non-binary, and gender diverse individuals and cultures have been documented worldwide. We can be traced as far back as 1200 BCE in Egypt but the book burning in 1933 is just one example of our history being erased and ignored. So let's remember some of the historical trans, non-binary, and gender diverse individuals who represent the UK. 

James Barry 

James Barry, born in 1789, was a military surgeon in the British Army and served in Cape Town for a large majority of his career where he made significant improvements to sanitation and water systems and the conditions for enslaved people, prisoners, and the mentally ill. Arguably, his most notable contribution to medicine was by performing the first known caesarean section in which both mother and child survived. Throughout his career in the British Army, James Barry spearheaded improvements to minimise unnecessary suffering and his work was acknowledged by reaching the rank of Inspector General, the second-highest medical rank in the Army.

In 1865, James Barry passed away and it was only then that his birth sex was revealed to be female. Sadly the matter was made public to the surprise of many who knew him. In response, the British Army sealed his records for 100 years and it wasn't until the 1950s his records were discovered by a historian. His gender identity should not override the marvels James Barry brought to the medical field and his long standing, successful career throughout the British Army. 

Michael Dillon

Michael Dillon, born in 1915, was a British doctor and author who served for the Merchant Navy before retiring and dedicating his life to Buddhism. He is most well known for his book "Self: A Study in Ethics and Endocrinology" which was pioneering in the field of transgender medicine as he himself took testosterone and underwent a double mastectomy. He was also the first known transgender man to undergo phalloplasty. Michael Dillon continued on with his life and career following his medical transition but was outed by the press when he requested a change of name and his secret of 15 years was published. After being outed, he resigned from his employer and left his Gentlemen's club despite both institutions stating he was welcome to stay and pursued a life in India where he dedicated himself to Buddhism. 

On the 1st May 1962, Michael Dillon completed his autobiography "Out of the Ordinary" and mailed it to his agent, two weeks later he passed away on the 15th May. His autobiography proved to be his legacy, despite requests from his brother to destroy his manuscript, and was published in full in 2016 entitled "Out of the Ordinary: A Life of Gender and Spiritual Transitions."

Roberta Cowell

Roberta Cowell, born in 1918, was a World War 2 fighter pilot and a British racing driver following the war. She is most known for being the first trans woman to undergo gender-affirming surgery in 1951. Roberta Cowell cultivated a close relationship with Michael Dillon following reading his book "Self: A Study in Ethics and Endocrinology" and Dillon personally helped Roberta's medical transition by carrying out some procedures on her despite it being illegal under "mayhem" laws. In 1952, Roberta Cowell underwent a vaginoplasty by the same surgeon who completed Michael Dillon's phalloplasty. 

In 1954, the British press were sceptical that Roberta Cowell had undergone surgery after she sold her story to the media for £20,000,  many medical experts 'debunked' her claim to have had the surgery. Roberta was a trailblazer in trans representation and following the publication of her story, doctors reported an astonishing increase of individuals who wanted to undergo the same procedure. One doctor claimed that he had received 456 requests for similar operations within a week. 

April Ashley

April Ashley, born in 1935, was an English model, author and prominent LGBT+ rights activist. Ashley joined the Navy in 1951 but was dishonourably discharged following an attempt to take her own life which contributed to her stay in a psychiatric unit at 17 years old. Following this hospital stay, Ashley moved to Paris and began cross-dressing, joining the cast of a drag cabaret. At the age of 25 and with £3,000, Ashley underwent experimental gender-affirming surgery in which she was told she would have a 50/50 chance of survival but she walked away with it having been successful. 

After her surgery, April Ashley returned to Britain and became a successful fashion model, even appearing in British Vogue as a lingerie model, and had a small role in a 1962 film. Sadly, Ashley was outed by The Sunday People after her friend sold her story for £5 and caused a scandal that ruined her film and book career. She responded with an article entitled "My Strange Life" but the damage had been done to her reputation. April Ashley further made history by being involved in a court case in which her husband asked for their marriage to be annulled on the grounds that Ashley was male, in which the court ruled in his favour. This became a landmark legal ruling in the UK and has been analysed in length by scholars. 

This Trans+ History Week, spend some time learning about the numerous trans, non-binary, and gender diverse individuals whose bravery to live their lives has directly contributed to the rights we live by today. Get involved in numerous events that can be found here.