The young militant woke LGBT brigade seem to think they are avant-garde trendsetters, and that the rest of the world needs to wake up to their radical new, never seen before, life-styles.
Well let me point them to April Ashley (below). Ms Ashley was born in 1935, and had reassignment surgery in Morocco in 1960. She soon became a much sought-after model but after having been maliciously 'outed' as having had a sex change, much of her work stopped. She had been photographed by David Bailey amongst others.
She was a good friend of Dali's muse Amanda Lear, and claims that they worked together in drag bars in Paris during the late 50's. Ms Lear has always claimed (and still does) that she was born female, but evidence proves otherwise.
April became big news in the early 60's. Her story was new, such 'things' were not common knowledge back in those dark days. I do remember the headlines, but I don't remember any criticism or anti sex-change banter. It simply was what it was.
She later received an MBE for 'services to transgender equality'. Good for her!
I was still a child in the early 60s, so don't remember anything about this, but good for her, doing what was right for herself.
ReplyDeleteAnd not making a fuss about it. She just got on by knowing what was right for her.
DeleteNot something I have experience of............Thank heaven.
ReplyDeleteI had a schoolfriend when I was about 7 who knew he was born in the wrong body. I don't know what became of him.
DeleteJan Morris, as James Morris at the time, father of 5, took himself to Morocco in 1972 and had a sex change. He kept it low key and matter of fact having known since he was a child that he was in the wrong body. He wrote about it in his short memoir, Conundrum. I often recommend the book to people, it sets it out as very understandable and quite normal that these things happen and people can born in the wrong body. The book is also about his travels and school days. You should read it. I remember April Ashley well.
ReplyDeleteI remember the name Jan Morris. I think the current crop of angry 'trans' folk should read their stories.
DeleteJan was a great person. We used to live in the same locality
DeleteGreat journalist and a travel writer, I recommend the books to you Cro.
DeleteDidn't she climb Everest, or was that someone else?
DeleteYes, as James Morris at the time, the journalist with the 1953 expedition.
DeleteShe isn't someone I've heard about. People like her put chinks in the armour of society, later to open to chasms. They are due respect and thanks, and of course we all know that every young generation will have all the answers. I recently heard that the current young generation has invented good sex!
ReplyDeleteApril A was big news for a while in the early 60's, but not in a nasty way. I don't really know why her 'outing' caused her to lose work. She was still the same person.
DeletePapers like the News of the World made it scandalous. It was a very taboo subject at the time.
DeleteYou shouldn't be asking young folk such things.
ReplyDeleteThey know all the answers already!
DeleteThat's a strange hairstyle she had - fuzzy grey on top with dark tresses below. Very avant garde.
ReplyDeleteShe was in The Guards, it's a busby!
DeleteI thought her hair (hat) looked more like a Bearskin, the Busby is smaller, and often made of Astrakhan.
DeleteIt's one of those little, utterly unimportant things that wind me up, Bearskin vs Busby vs Shako! X
OK, understood!
DeleteYouth often lack knowledge of what came before them.
ReplyDeletePeople such as April should be their icons.
DeleteLiving your best life is important. JM was iconic and did so in all ways. AA is new to me.
ReplyDeleteAshley was the forerunner. She made the whole idea of sex-change into a possibility.
Delete