TIMELINE OF TRANS HISTORY

Key legal and social developments in the fight for trans rights in the 20th century

1910 TERMS ‘TRANSVESTITE’ AND ‘TRANSEXUAL’ COINED

GERMANY

Sexologist Dr Magnus Hirschfield coins the terms ‘transvestite’ and ‘transexual’. Hirschfield does much pioneering work (including the first ‘documented’ gender reassignment operation) before his organisation is shut down by the Nazis in 1933.

1966 COMPTON’S CAFETERIA RIOT

USA

A group of trans women stand up against police harassment at an all-night cafeteria in San Francisco – sparking a riot. This predates Stonewall and two years later the National Transexual Counseling Unit is created as a result.

1970 FIRST CORBETT VS CORBETT

UK

Arthur Corbett seeks to end his marriage to trans woman and model April Ashley. He argues that the marriage was never valid due to April being trans. The judge rules in his favour, meaning trans people are unable to marry until 2013.

1976 RENNE RICHARDS

USA

Tennis pro Renne Richards is banned from competitions after being outed as a trans woman. She goes on to win the subsequent legal battle, which allows her to continue to play in the US.

1991 FTM INTERNATIONAL INC

USA

James Green takes over a Female to Male Trans newsletter, creating FTM International Inc. The group provides information on areas such as trans legal rights as well as networking.

1930 LILI ELBE UNDERGOES HER FIRST GENDER REASSIGNMENT OPERATION

GERMANY

Lili Elbe undergoes the world’s first documented case of gender reassignment surgery, in 1930. Unfortunately, following complications during the fifth operation, just a year later in 1931 she passes away following a cardiac arrest.

1969 FIRST INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON GENDER IDENTITY

UK

The First International Symposium on Gender Identity is held, with a range of papers discussing developing treatments and social understanding. The National Archives now holds a wealth of correspondence relating to this event. 1974

JAN MORRIS PUBLISHES CONUNDRUM

UK

Welsh historian and journalist Jan Morris’s Conundrum is an account of her transitioning, one of the first autobiographies to do so. The book delves deep into Morris’s journey of self discovery.

1990 GENDER TRUST

UK

Largest UK charity designed to support people with issues of gender identity founded. As of May 2021, the Gender Trust is still operational and helping individuals.

1993 FIRST US LAW AGAINST DISCRIMINATION TOWARD TRANS INDIVIDUALS

USA

Minnesota passes the first US law that prohibits discrimination towards trans individuals as well as establishing legal protections for them.