Britain's First Male-to-Female SRS

[Bexi]

http://www.changelingaspects.com/Life%20Stories/Roberta%20Cowells%20Story.htm

"A wonderful story, about a fascinating life of a Spitfire Pilot of WW2, who found he was actually a she.

It is also interesting from the point of view that it was written in the early 1950s and clearly shows the type of beliefs, both socially and medically, about "Change of Sex" and how "Transsexualism" was erroneously classified as being "Transvestism" or a variation thereof.
The medical views she expresses in this book were, at the time of printing - 1954, considered to be the best and most up to date medical and psychological knowledge of the time, BUT, much of it has changed a great deal in the last fifty years of medical, biological and psychological research and "Transsexualism"and "Transvestism" are more clearly separated, as distinctly different conditions, with differing aetiologies, and "Transvestism" is no longer considered to be of homosexual origins."


Its an interesting read!

[peky]

I just finger through the text, and found the story of this courageous British gal most fascinating

Thanks fro the link

[Lauraitl]

Thank you for the window into the past.

[Joelene9]

  Excellent story.  From Spitfires to womanhood.  A lot of the theory evolution on gender variance well interwoven in her story. 
  There is a good footnote about DES at the bottom of the page.  Some of the links no longer work though. 
  Joelene

[Bexi]

Sorry about the links - it wasnt my article, a friend sent it to me 

I think its amazing how far we have come in nearly 60 years - the recognition, the science, the law, the acceptance. The article really put it in perspective. I thought being transgender was difficult but its nothing compared to the previous generation, and the generation before had even more difficulty, and before that the previous generation of transgendered endured worse.

We're progressively gaining more equality, which can only be a good thing
x

[Mosaic dude]

Thanks for posting this.  It's fascinating.  It really is amazing how far we've come and it's nice to know we are making progress, even if it doesn't feel like it some days.

[pretty pauline]

Enjoyed reading that, infact it was so similiar to my own transition, I transition in the 1970s and 1980s, having my final surgery in 1985, things have moved on scientifically but socially they are still the same, I had the changed experience of men's attitudes towards me when I became a woman, guys who would be nasty to other guys where very charming sweet and attentive towards me, giving me lots of nice complements and attention, before my transition I hated train travel because I could never get a seat, after my transition Iv never stood on a train, always get offered a seat, guys just feel guilty seeing a woman standing in heels on a train lol I remember only 2weeks ago, a lady glaring at her partner as if to say ''gosh your no gentleman'' she shamed the poor guy into giving up his seat for me, I smiled and thank him.
I enjoyed the last chapter in that book, chapter11 her travel experience in Paris, I was drooling, French men certainly know how to treat and take care of a lady, so romantic, but then Paris is the city of romance and that hasn't changed ether, every girl should go to Paris at least once in her life.
Pauline

[Dahlia]

I think its amazing how far we have come in nearly 60 years - the recognition, the science, the law, the acceptance.

She wasn't/isn't so 'accepting' herself, claiming herself to have XX chrosomes (not true, she's fathered 2 children),  calling other MTF 'freaks' for having XY chromosomes.
And being VERY, VERY masculine  AND against feminism/women's lib during the 1970's.

We're progressively gaining more equality,

We would be frozen in time during the 1940's, if it were up to her.

Another interesting read; an interview with Roberta Cowell from the mid 1970's.

http://www.lizhodgkinson.com/lh/journalismArticle/interview_with_transsexual_roberta_betty_cowell

She's still alive btw.

[pretty pauline]

She wasn't/isn't so 'accepting' herself, claiming herself to have XX chrosomes (not true, she's fathered 2 children),  calling other MTF 'freaks' for having XY chromosomes.
And being VERY, VERY masculine  AND against feminism/women's lib during the 1970's.

We would be frozen in time during the 1940's, if it were up to her.

Another interesting read; an interview with Roberta Cowell from the mid 1970's.

http://www.lizhodgkinson.com/lh/journalismArticle/interview_with_transsexual_roberta_betty_cowell

She's still alive btw.

It she's still alive she must be very old, considering she was 33 in 1951, hmm that would make her 94, thats very old.
But your right Dahlia, I hate smugness when it comes to trans issues, infact when it comes to any issue, she was very lucky she passed so well which she should be thankful for.
p