Liverpool born trans pioneer April Ashley has died

April Ashley MBE, actress and Vogue magazine model dies at 86.

April Ashley MBE (1935 – 2021) was an English model, actress and author. She was outed as a transgender woman by The Sunday People newspaper in 1961 and is one of the earliest Britons known to have had sex reassignment surgery. Her marriage was annulled in the court case of Corbett v Corbett.

April Ashley, Ian McKellen, Gary Everett

The exhibition April Ashley: Portrait of a Lady was curated by Gary Everett and held at the Museum of Liverpool from 27th September 2013 to 1st March 2015.

Everett explained;
“We have been absolutely delighted by the number of visitors and the positive response from the public. Our belief is that by learning about the appalling prejudice and difficulties trans people experience people will become more tolerant and understanding which in turn will reduce transphobia.”

Commenting on the popularity of her exhibition and its closure April Ashley said;
“It has made me very proud to know I have been looking out on every visitor to the museum for a year and a half! There aren’t many people who can claim to have been a museum piece in their lifetime and I shall be sorry to see the exhibition close.”

In December 2016, Ashley was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Liverpool. Ashley latterly lived in Fulham, South West London. She died on 27th December 2021.

Trans pioneer, actress & 1960s @voguemagazine model #AprilAshley dies aged 86. She was the GREAT trans trailblazer for decades. Her glamorous career was ended after she was cruelly outed as trans by the press. I was honoured to know & support her. Hero! https://t.co/OgfIvnyKeB pic.twitter.com/XiqZna5ZLG

— Peter Tatchell (@PeterTatchell) December 29, 2021

Published: 27th December 2021

Categorised in: News