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Museum of Liverpool displays possessions of transgender pioneer April Ashley

27h

Summary

  • Some 47 of April Ashley's possessions, from jewellery to an Aids ribbon badge, are on display at the Museum of Liverpool until 12 April.
  • Ashley was the second Briton to undergo male-to-female gender reassignment surgery, in 1960, and became a Vogue model and actress.
  • She was born in the Norris Green area of Liverpool in 1935 and died in December 2021 at the age of 86.
  • She was made an MBE in 2012 for campaigning for the transgender community and was legally recognised as female in 2005.
  • Her estate kept selected jewellery and personal items and sold the rest at auction, with proceeds going to charities she supported and her archive.

Reactions

  • Lead curator Kay Jones said the collection tells the lesser known stories of Ashley's life and shows her as a more rounded individual.
  • Kay Jones said Ashley inspired generations and that the hope she gave people still resonates with challenges faced by trans and non-binary communities.
  • Bev Ayre, executor of Ashley's estate, said Ashley was charismatic, self-taught and a pioneer, and that it is timely to tell her story.
  • Bev Ayre said the estate cleared her flat quickly, keeping selected items and auctioning the rest, part of the money going to charities she supported.

Timeline newest first

  1. A display of 47 of April Ashley's possessions opened in the atrium of the Museum of Liverpool, running until 12 April.
  2. April Ashley died in December 2021 at the age of 86.
  3. April Ashley was made an MBE in 2012 for her campaigning work for the transgender community.
  4. April Ashley was legally recognised as female in 2005 under the Gender Recognition Act.
  5. April Ashley underwent male-to-female gender reassignment surgery in Casablanca, Morocco, in 1960, and the news made headlines in the early 1960s.

Sources newest first

  • Life of trans trailblazer April Ashley celebrated in show of her possessionsbbc.com· 27h

    A BBC News article reports that 47 of April Ashley's possessions, from jewellery to an Aids ribbon badge, have gone on display at the Museum of Liverpool until 12 April. Ashley, the second Briton to undergo gender reassignment surgery in 1960 and an MBE-honoured campaigner, died in December 2021 at 86; curator Kay Jones says the collection tells her lesser known stories.