April Ashley

April Ashley MBE (29 April 1935 – 27 December 2021), known formally as The Honourable April Corbett from 1963 to 1980, was a pioneering English model, accomplished author, and fervent advocate for LGBT rights. After her service in the Merchant Navy, she began her career in the 1950s performing as Toni April at the renowned Le Carrousel de Paris. In a significant moment in her life, Ashley was publicly identified as a transgender woman by The Sunday People newspaper in 1961, making her one of the first British individuals to undergo gender confirmation surgery.

Her personal life included a notable marriage to the future 3rd Baron Rowallan, which was later annulled in the landmark High Court case of Corbett v Corbett. This case had a lasting impact on the legal recognition of transgender individuals in the UK.

In recognition of her tireless efforts towards advancing transgender equality, Ashley was honored as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2012 Birthday Honours. Throughout her life, she not only broke barriers in the modeling industry but also used her platform to advocate for the rights and visibility of transgender individuals, leaving a lasting legacy as a trailblazer in both the fashion world and the fight for equality.