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The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes: And the Unwritten History of the Trans Experience
The life story of an aristocratic Scottish trans man and the secret 1968 legal case that provides “a fascinating look into the changing landscape of trans rights” (Library Journal) throughout history.Ewan Forbes was born to a wealthy, landowning family, holders of a baronetcy, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in 1912. Assigned female at birth, his true identity was nevertheless clear even in childhood—and so, with the support of his mother, he was taken to European specialists and eventually treated with early preparations of synthetic testosterone. Raised as a boy at home but socially obliged to present himself as a girl in public until his official coming out to the Queen, Ewan grew up, became a doctor, and got married. (This required him to correct the sex on his birth certificate, which was possible at that time without much fuss.) For decades, he lived a quiet life as a husband, doctor, and a pillar of the local community. But in 1965, Ewan’s older brother died unexpectedly—leaving Ewan, the next oldest man in the family, to inherit the baronetcy. When his cousin John—spurred on by Ewan’s sister—contested the inheritance he was forced to defend his male status in Scotland’s supreme civil court, where he prevailed. This hugely important case would have changed the lives of trans people across the world—had it not been hidden. The hearing was conducted privately, the media were gagged, and those involved were sworn to secrecy. The case remained unknown until 1996 and is at last described here, along with the life of Ewan Forbes, for the first time. Enlightening and galvanizing, The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes is a “remarkable…vital historical reference” (Booklist) for transgender history and the ongoing struggle for trans rights.
383 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 2, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
October 16, 2021
This book is about the basic civil liberties for transgender people that evaporated in the U.K. in the late 1960’s when the law required compliance with the gender stated on birth certificates. This injustice is linked to the suppressed and hidden case of Sir Ewan Forbes which combined with the divorce case of transgender April Ashley (Corbett versus Corbett) has a profound effect on transgender rights for fifty years. The case was hidden because of the law of primogeniture which means that only males can inherit lands, titles etc. and was suppressed to ensure this law remained intact. It’s is therefore not just important to the transgender community but to everyone. So, who is Sir Ewan Forbes? He was born in 1912 and registered at birth as female and named Elisabeth, however, he always identified as male and as far as he was concerned he was Ewan. He had the support of his mother and elder brother in particular. He was probably intersex and not transgender but that’s not the main issue. In 1952 his birth certificate was changed to male, he went on to get married and it all came to a head in 1965 when his elder brother William died and bequeathed the not inconsiderable Scottish estates and all that entailed to his cousin John. Ewan challenged it in court to great personal cost and won. This judgement was then suppressed and it disappeared from view and it’s only with persistence that it came to light. The whole case is fascinating, Ewan and his family are extremely interesting and I found the whole family story engrossing and the best parts of the book. The author does a very good job in explaining how significant the case is to the transgender community.
Ewan’s story is firmly set in its historical context including looking at countries where there was persecution such as in Nazi Germany and also includes ‘treatments’ to cure what is seen as ‘abhorrent’, changes in the law are explained as are medical ethics. Particularly interesting is how the LGBTQIA community has been represented in film and literature and how views began to change. Other cases are included which is also a very interesting part of the book especially Lili Elbe (The Danish Girl portrayed by Eddie Redmayne) and April Ashley. It documents the fight for legal recognition, activism and pockets of resistance.
Overall, this is a book I’m very glad I read. I knew nothing about this case as most people wouldn’t but it’s suppression is of vital importance because of the subsequent injustice. This is an important book not only for the LGBTQIA community, anyone interested in the law but also anyone who just wants to understand the situation better. It’s extremely good on Ewan’s case, on cultural attitudes and is very revealing in places. At times the depth can be a bit exhausting but I fully recognise that’s what gives the book it’s power and strength.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bloomsbury Publishing PLC for the arc in return for an honest review.
Ewan’s story is firmly set in its historical context including looking at countries where there was persecution such as in Nazi Germany and also includes ‘treatments’ to cure what is seen as ‘abhorrent’, changes in the law are explained as are medical ethics. Particularly interesting is how the LGBTQIA community has been represented in film and literature and how views began to change. Other cases are included which is also a very interesting part of the book especially Lili Elbe (The Danish Girl portrayed by Eddie Redmayne) and April Ashley. It documents the fight for legal recognition, activism and pockets of resistance.
Overall, this is a book I’m very glad I read. I knew nothing about this case as most people wouldn’t but it’s suppression is of vital importance because of the subsequent injustice. This is an important book not only for the LGBTQIA community, anyone interested in the law but also anyone who just wants to understand the situation better. It’s extremely good on Ewan’s case, on cultural attitudes and is very revealing in places. At times the depth can be a bit exhausting but I fully recognise that’s what gives the book it’s power and strength.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bloomsbury Publishing PLC for the arc in return for an honest review.
desperate-to-read
June 17, 2021A transgender Scottish royal set to inherit his brother's title if it wasn't for his jealous cousin who wants to contest the claim on the grounds that he is not a "real" man? Sounds like fiction but is, in fact, fact.
This is all to say I desperately need this book in my life.
This is all to say I desperately need this book in my life.
December 13, 2021
The story of Ewan Forbes is a genuinely fascinating one; an aristocrat considered female at birth who was recertified by a sheriff as properly male in 1952, married, became a successful GP, then (as a male) inherited a baronetcy which contained a large quantity of land, despite a legal challenge in 1965 from a cis male cousin who asserted that Ewan was still legally female and thus could not succeed, as the succession to the baronetcy was restricted to male heirs. The parties agreed to a private arbitration before a Scottish judge, who ruled that Ewan was the next lawful male heir. He lived the rest of his life as a respected member of his community, with few paying any heed to his past, and on his death in 1991 the baronetcy was inherited by the cousin who had challenged him 26 years before.
However, to understand the story fully requires a degree of knowledge and understanding of Scots law and procedure, and in this the author fails remarkably. Not herself qualified in Scots law, it would have been prudent to have had her text reviewed by a lawyer or legal academic working in Scotland. There is no sign that she did this, and thus many of the premises on the book are either wrong or misinterpreted.
Prof. Playdon appears to consider that s.63 of the Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland) Act, 1854 allowed a person who transitioned to re-register their new gender identity. It did not, but instead merely permitted an application to a court to correct an error in the original registration. She therafter fails to understand the decision in X, Petitioner (1957) where the court confirmed that there was no right to correct an entry unless the Sheriff was satisfied there was an initial error in registration. This was the same judicial procedure by which the sheriff at Aberdeen re-registered Ewan's birth as male. In law, this meant that Ewan had ALWAYS legally been male, his original entry had been erroneous, and the decision had nothing to do with transitioning, as the author incorrectly believes.
When it comes to the arbitration in the 1960s before Lord Hunter, the author's understanding of law is hopelesly misguided. The parties agreed between them to an arbitration before a judge using the provisions of s. 10 of the Administration of Justice (Scotland) Act 1933, that provides for a quicker form of procedure - "summary trial", that need not take place in court, and where parties have an express statutory right to request a hearing in private. Given that the case involved doctors discussing Ewan's genitals in minute detail, one might understand his wish for privacy.
The author considers the procedure unusual. This it was, but it was legally competent. Also, in contrast to Prof. Playdon's assertion that the case outcome was kept secret, it was reported in the "Aberdeen Press and Journal" and "Time" in 1968, and was taught for a time in some Scottish Universities as a quaint addition to Scots family law. Even if reporting was minimal, the author does not seek to prove that summary trials under s.10 were routinely reported in public, so the point seems of limited validity.
Where she goes completely off the rails is asserting that a decision by an Outer House judge in an arbitration is of superior legal standing than a decision of a High Court judge in England. This is simply false.
Next, having decided that there must be some sinister Establishment cover-up in the (untrue) non-publicising of the decision, she asserts that this prevented Lord Hunter's determination being used in the case of Corbett v Corbett, a case involving the transwoman April Ashley Corbett, completely failing to grasp that Ms Corbett accepted that she had previously been male, while the decision of the sheriff in 1952 meant that Ewan Forbes had never legally been female. Thus, the courts in each case effectively came to the same conclusion, as did the court in X Petitioner .
This, to my mind, massively undermines much of Prof. Playdon's assertions of Establishment cover-ups, trans genocide (sic), and renders her claim that the case outcome was suppressed because of its implications for royal succession frankly absurd.
All of these errors have been pointed out by eminent lawyers and academics in Scotland and England, but Prof. Playdon's reaction has been disappointing, refusing to accept her mistakes and making some quite strange allegations about her critics.
Two stars for telling a story that deserved told, but Dr Forbes deserves a better and more considerate biographer.
However, to understand the story fully requires a degree of knowledge and understanding of Scots law and procedure, and in this the author fails remarkably. Not herself qualified in Scots law, it would have been prudent to have had her text reviewed by a lawyer or legal academic working in Scotland. There is no sign that she did this, and thus many of the premises on the book are either wrong or misinterpreted.
Prof. Playdon appears to consider that s.63 of the Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland) Act, 1854 allowed a person who transitioned to re-register their new gender identity. It did not, but instead merely permitted an application to a court to correct an error in the original registration. She therafter fails to understand the decision in X, Petitioner (1957) where the court confirmed that there was no right to correct an entry unless the Sheriff was satisfied there was an initial error in registration. This was the same judicial procedure by which the sheriff at Aberdeen re-registered Ewan's birth as male. In law, this meant that Ewan had ALWAYS legally been male, his original entry had been erroneous, and the decision had nothing to do with transitioning, as the author incorrectly believes.
When it comes to the arbitration in the 1960s before Lord Hunter, the author's understanding of law is hopelesly misguided. The parties agreed between them to an arbitration before a judge using the provisions of s. 10 of the Administration of Justice (Scotland) Act 1933, that provides for a quicker form of procedure - "summary trial", that need not take place in court, and where parties have an express statutory right to request a hearing in private. Given that the case involved doctors discussing Ewan's genitals in minute detail, one might understand his wish for privacy.
The author considers the procedure unusual. This it was, but it was legally competent. Also, in contrast to Prof. Playdon's assertion that the case outcome was kept secret, it was reported in the "Aberdeen Press and Journal" and "Time" in 1968, and was taught for a time in some Scottish Universities as a quaint addition to Scots family law. Even if reporting was minimal, the author does not seek to prove that summary trials under s.10 were routinely reported in public, so the point seems of limited validity.
Where she goes completely off the rails is asserting that a decision by an Outer House judge in an arbitration is of superior legal standing than a decision of a High Court judge in England. This is simply false.
Next, having decided that there must be some sinister Establishment cover-up in the (untrue) non-publicising of the decision, she asserts that this prevented Lord Hunter's determination being used in the case of Corbett v Corbett, a case involving the transwoman April Ashley Corbett, completely failing to grasp that Ms Corbett accepted that she had previously been male, while the decision of the sheriff in 1952 meant that Ewan Forbes had never legally been female. Thus, the courts in each case effectively came to the same conclusion, as did the court in X Petitioner .
This, to my mind, massively undermines much of Prof. Playdon's assertions of Establishment cover-ups, trans genocide (sic), and renders her claim that the case outcome was suppressed because of its implications for royal succession frankly absurd.
All of these errors have been pointed out by eminent lawyers and academics in Scotland and England, but Prof. Playdon's reaction has been disappointing, refusing to accept her mistakes and making some quite strange allegations about her critics.
Two stars for telling a story that deserved told, but Dr Forbes deserves a better and more considerate biographer.
December 8, 2024
At a time when trans people across the U.S. are being vilified, legislated against, and assaulted, The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes offers a message simultaneously hopeful and frustrating. The case show us what may be possible for trans people--what was possible for one trans person--but also demonstrated the ways that victories can be buried.
The first two-thirds of the book relates the story of Ewan Forbes, technically born female, but clearly male in identity from the start. Forbes was lucky in being a member of the nobility. He was able to have his birth certificate amended to list him as male. The thinking at that time included the ideas that
• hermaphrodites (not that Forbes was necessarily one) might not reveal their true gender until they reached a certain age
and
• exceptional women might evolve "upward" to maleness.
Gender changes weren't common, but they were possible. In fact, Forbes pursued amending his birth certificate because he wanted to marry. When Ewan's older brother died childless, the family baronetcy seemed likely to be passed on to Forbes, until a distant cousin appeared, claiming Forbes was not male and, therefore, could not inherit the title. After a draw-out, humiliating, and perhaps manipulated private court proceding, Forbes was declared heir.
The problem was—if someone listed as female at birth, who then was amended to male, could inherit as a man, the entire structure of primogeniture would be on shaky grounds. As would the monarchy itself. So, in 1968 Forbes won his case, but the British government did all it could to suppress that ruling so it couldn't be used as precedent in future cases.
The last third of the book surveys that way trans-related law evolved after Forbes Forbes' victory and its concealment. Increasingly, trans identity was viewed as a psychiatric disorder, rather than a revelation that appeared slowly as an individual aged. We're living in a time of anti-trans hatred now, and reading about the evolution of legal and medical views of trans folk is infuriating and heart-breaking. The Forbes case should have made cases like his rather normal, but the need to protect patriarchal institutions and growing public animus made that impossible.
The book is a must-read for anyone interested in queer history or in the history of Britain in the 20th Century. I received a free electronic review copy from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
The first two-thirds of the book relates the story of Ewan Forbes, technically born female, but clearly male in identity from the start. Forbes was lucky in being a member of the nobility. He was able to have his birth certificate amended to list him as male. The thinking at that time included the ideas that
• hermaphrodites (not that Forbes was necessarily one) might not reveal their true gender until they reached a certain age
and
• exceptional women might evolve "upward" to maleness.
Gender changes weren't common, but they were possible. In fact, Forbes pursued amending his birth certificate because he wanted to marry. When Ewan's older brother died childless, the family baronetcy seemed likely to be passed on to Forbes, until a distant cousin appeared, claiming Forbes was not male and, therefore, could not inherit the title. After a draw-out, humiliating, and perhaps manipulated private court proceding, Forbes was declared heir.
The problem was—if someone listed as female at birth, who then was amended to male, could inherit as a man, the entire structure of primogeniture would be on shaky grounds. As would the monarchy itself. So, in 1968 Forbes won his case, but the British government did all it could to suppress that ruling so it couldn't be used as precedent in future cases.
The last third of the book surveys that way trans-related law evolved after Forbes Forbes' victory and its concealment. Increasingly, trans identity was viewed as a psychiatric disorder, rather than a revelation that appeared slowly as an individual aged. We're living in a time of anti-trans hatred now, and reading about the evolution of legal and medical views of trans folk is infuriating and heart-breaking. The Forbes case should have made cases like his rather normal, but the need to protect patriarchal institutions and growing public animus made that impossible.
The book is a must-read for anyone interested in queer history or in the history of Britain in the 20th Century. I received a free electronic review copy from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
February 14, 2022
I couldn’t finish this book. I requested it as I thought the premise was fascinating and as the blurb points out, a story that was hidden from the public domain for a very long time. However I think the author made an error in the way she chose to tell the story.
Playdon freely acknowledges that neither Ewan Forbes nor his wife Isabella left any letters or diaries and never publicly discussed what was to Ewan a deeply private matter. In fact the pair had both passed away before she had had a chance to read the original trial
transcripts. Faced with these limitations the author still chose to write the story from Ewan’s perspective. This involved a lot of extrapolation, and the constant barrage of ‘He would have been/seen/felt’ and ‘She would have been/seen/felt’ with regard to Ewan and Isabella drove me demented!!!!! It turned a serious book about a serious subject into a work of fiction! If that is what the author wanted then that is what the author and publisher should have marketed this as!
The narrative also keeps breaking away from Ewan’s story and talking about the wider history of trans rights at the time. I understand why the author chose to do this but it does disrupt the flow of the story. It would have read much better if this was either an examination of trans rights with a focus on this particular case instead of a part biography(without a lot of primary source material) and part social history.
A final criticism. The author has mentioned a couple of things that I thought sounded interesting like Ewan’s brother William being unfairly persecuted by MI6 so I looked it up. It turns out he was a spy and not unfairly targeted at all. Playing fast and loose with the facts does the book a disservice and makes you question what other facts are reported incorrectly!
Additional Note - I also tried listening to the audiobook however, I kept hearing the narrator rustling papers which was really distracting and the different accents were unnecessary in my opinion.
Playdon freely acknowledges that neither Ewan Forbes nor his wife Isabella left any letters or diaries and never publicly discussed what was to Ewan a deeply private matter. In fact the pair had both passed away before she had had a chance to read the original trial
transcripts. Faced with these limitations the author still chose to write the story from Ewan’s perspective. This involved a lot of extrapolation, and the constant barrage of ‘He would have been/seen/felt’ and ‘She would have been/seen/felt’ with regard to Ewan and Isabella drove me demented!!!!! It turned a serious book about a serious subject into a work of fiction! If that is what the author wanted then that is what the author and publisher should have marketed this as!
The narrative also keeps breaking away from Ewan’s story and talking about the wider history of trans rights at the time. I understand why the author chose to do this but it does disrupt the flow of the story. It would have read much better if this was either an examination of trans rights with a focus on this particular case instead of a part biography(without a lot of primary source material) and part social history.
A final criticism. The author has mentioned a couple of things that I thought sounded interesting like Ewan’s brother William being unfairly persecuted by MI6 so I looked it up. It turns out he was a spy and not unfairly targeted at all. Playing fast and loose with the facts does the book a disservice and makes you question what other facts are reported incorrectly!
Additional Note - I also tried listening to the audiobook however, I kept hearing the narrator rustling papers which was really distracting and the different accents were unnecessary in my opinion.
August 3, 2021
This book is weird. It starts with an utterly improbable - but completely true - premise; what if there was a secret court case which set back the cause of trans rights for half a century?
And, yet, that's where we are. Complex and secretive bureaucracies fighting against open publication. The open data nerd in me was thrilled and appalled.
The book is a meticulous exploration of the trans* experience during the last century. As well as a detailed journey through Ewan's life, it expertly explains the context of what he - and others - were going through.
It is thoroughly sympathetic to Ewan's plight. Nevertheless, I found there to be something a bit ghoulish about an unauthorised biography of someone who wanted aspects of their life kept private. There's a fair bit of "We don't know how Ewan felt about this, but..." which is a problem with every unauthorised biography. But it never puts words in his mouth - and always contextualises the likelihood of his possible response.
The story, ironically, is one of intense privilege. Ewan and his family were literal nobility. With money and connections, he was able to access a level of healthcare which is unthinkable even to this day. Dining with royalty and being seen by the Queen's surgeon buys access to a level of "respectability" that is out of reach for the majority of people.
Ewan's story dominates the book - but not to the exclusion of others. It pulls in the stories and court cases of contemporary people - mostly from the UK, with some occasional forays into the EU, US, and Australia. It's brilliant to see a book so passionately explore the UK's attitude to trans rights. Too often these books are only viewed through a US lens. This is clearly focussed on the UK - Scotland in particular - and the implications it has for our country.
At its heart is the surprising revelation that there's a constitutional crisis born out of the inherent hetrosexism of primogeniture. The make-believe idea that artificially constructed titles must be passed down the male line. If not, our country and culture will collapse. Without a workable definition of male and female, and the acknowledgement that recording of natal sex isn't immutable, the whole edifice quickly crumbles.
The end of the book left me upset. How can we still be fighting these battles? Why are waiting times so long? What drives the gutter press to such depths of depravity?
It is an excellent biography - not just of a man, but of a country and of a culture.
An important and timely book.
Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy. The book is released later this year.
And, yet, that's where we are. Complex and secretive bureaucracies fighting against open publication. The open data nerd in me was thrilled and appalled.
The book is a meticulous exploration of the trans* experience during the last century. As well as a detailed journey through Ewan's life, it expertly explains the context of what he - and others - were going through.
It is thoroughly sympathetic to Ewan's plight. Nevertheless, I found there to be something a bit ghoulish about an unauthorised biography of someone who wanted aspects of their life kept private. There's a fair bit of "We don't know how Ewan felt about this, but..." which is a problem with every unauthorised biography. But it never puts words in his mouth - and always contextualises the likelihood of his possible response.
The story, ironically, is one of intense privilege. Ewan and his family were literal nobility. With money and connections, he was able to access a level of healthcare which is unthinkable even to this day. Dining with royalty and being seen by the Queen's surgeon buys access to a level of "respectability" that is out of reach for the majority of people.
Ewan's story dominates the book - but not to the exclusion of others. It pulls in the stories and court cases of contemporary people - mostly from the UK, with some occasional forays into the EU, US, and Australia. It's brilliant to see a book so passionately explore the UK's attitude to trans rights. Too often these books are only viewed through a US lens. This is clearly focussed on the UK - Scotland in particular - and the implications it has for our country.
At its heart is the surprising revelation that there's a constitutional crisis born out of the inherent hetrosexism of primogeniture. The make-believe idea that artificially constructed titles must be passed down the male line. If not, our country and culture will collapse. Without a workable definition of male and female, and the acknowledgement that recording of natal sex isn't immutable, the whole edifice quickly crumbles.
The end of the book left me upset. How can we still be fighting these battles? Why are waiting times so long? What drives the gutter press to such depths of depravity?
It is an excellent biography - not just of a man, but of a country and of a culture.
An important and timely book.
Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy. The book is released later this year.
Read
October 11, 2021With a heavy feeling in my chest, I decided to DNF this book. Not because it’s bad, on the contrary, the part I read was really good. Interesting as well. For example, I didn’t know that Ewan’s hidden court case marked the tipping point between the trans equality that existed in the past and today’s trans discrimination. Despite this, I can’t seem to keep focused on this book. I started reading it two weeks ago and still haven’t gotten past the 5% mark. There are so many other books I want to read right now, and somehow I seem to prioritize them instead of diving into Ewan’s story. A matter of a good book at the wrong time.
I received an ARC from Scribner and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC from Scribner and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
December 13, 2021
Despite the chorus of adulation from reviewers on goodreads, with the exception of what appears to be one dissenting voice, Playdon's book The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes is replete with errors and unjustified assertions, and therefore fails as a piece of scholarship.
As has been set out at length on Twitter, Playdon has shoe-horned in her ideological view of the subject, rather than drawing conclusions from a thorough consideration of the historical and legal evidence.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ba...
This article from The Times, 'Battle over story of ‘trans’ baronet', explains some of the objections which lawyers have raised. First, the case was not hidden, but was reported at the time, and cited in later judgments. The hearing was 'in chambers' because of the sensitivity of the evidence. Second, it did not set precedent, being a case in the Scottish legal system, and only relating to the issue of primogeniture, and not to the law of inheritance more generally. Third, there is no justification for the claim that Harold Wilson, the then Prime Minister, had discussed the case with Queen Elizabeth II, or shown interest in the Forbes story. Fourth, the determination was that Forbes was a 'a true hermaphrodite in whom the male sexual characteristics predominate', and not, as suggested by Playdon, transgender. The birth certificate was amended to reflect Forbes' real sex, since it was originally in error.
Further, Playdon has made some startlingly hyperbolic and offensive claims that there was a 'genocide' of trans people, claims which expose her tendency towards rhetoric, rather than serious scholarship.
Although plenty of reviews have ignored the manifest flaws of Playdon's book, any prospective reader should be made aware that 'The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes: And the Unwritten History of the Trans Experience' is legally and historically dubious.
As has been set out at length on Twitter, Playdon has shoe-horned in her ideological view of the subject, rather than drawing conclusions from a thorough consideration of the historical and legal evidence.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ba...
This article from The Times, 'Battle over story of ‘trans’ baronet', explains some of the objections which lawyers have raised. First, the case was not hidden, but was reported at the time, and cited in later judgments. The hearing was 'in chambers' because of the sensitivity of the evidence. Second, it did not set precedent, being a case in the Scottish legal system, and only relating to the issue of primogeniture, and not to the law of inheritance more generally. Third, there is no justification for the claim that Harold Wilson, the then Prime Minister, had discussed the case with Queen Elizabeth II, or shown interest in the Forbes story. Fourth, the determination was that Forbes was a 'a true hermaphrodite in whom the male sexual characteristics predominate', and not, as suggested by Playdon, transgender. The birth certificate was amended to reflect Forbes' real sex, since it was originally in error.
Further, Playdon has made some startlingly hyperbolic and offensive claims that there was a 'genocide' of trans people, claims which expose her tendency towards rhetoric, rather than serious scholarship.
Although plenty of reviews have ignored the manifest flaws of Playdon's book, any prospective reader should be made aware that 'The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes: And the Unwritten History of the Trans Experience' is legally and historically dubious.
June 7, 2024
I chose "The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes" as my audiobook for Pride Month. This historical nonfiction book delves into trans rights (or the lack thereof) and the trans experience, focusing on several cases, with Ewan Forbes' story at its centre.
Ewan Forbes was assigned female at birth but, with the support of his mother, was raised as a boy. Remarkably, he was able to receive treatment with an early version of synthetic testosterone. Later in life, when his older brother died, Ewan had to defend his legal status as a male in Scotland's supreme court to inherit a baronetcy. The book argues that if the results of this case had not been suppressed, it could have positively impacted trans rights globally.
While I didn't particularly enjoy the writing style of this book, the personal stories of real people were compelling and heartbreaking. These narratives kept me engaged despite my reservations about the prose. What makes these stories even more poignant is seeing how trans people and other minorities continue to be mistreated by governments and laws. At the time of writing this review, the Tories are proposing changes to the Equality Act to "better protect single-sex spaces," which is a worrying development.
Despite my critique of the writing style, I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about trans history and becoming a better ally. "The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes" provides crucial insights into the ongoing struggle for trans rights and the impact of historical injustices.
Ewan Forbes was assigned female at birth but, with the support of his mother, was raised as a boy. Remarkably, he was able to receive treatment with an early version of synthetic testosterone. Later in life, when his older brother died, Ewan had to defend his legal status as a male in Scotland's supreme court to inherit a baronetcy. The book argues that if the results of this case had not been suppressed, it could have positively impacted trans rights globally.
While I didn't particularly enjoy the writing style of this book, the personal stories of real people were compelling and heartbreaking. These narratives kept me engaged despite my reservations about the prose. What makes these stories even more poignant is seeing how trans people and other minorities continue to be mistreated by governments and laws. At the time of writing this review, the Tories are proposing changes to the Equality Act to "better protect single-sex spaces," which is a worrying development.
Despite my critique of the writing style, I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about trans history and becoming a better ally. "The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes" provides crucial insights into the ongoing struggle for trans rights and the impact of historical injustices.
August 6, 2022
A book that highlights a part of lgbt history and law that was hidden for decades by Westminster.
Incorporating similar cases across the Atlantic that were occurring at the same time as Ewan was fighting for his rights, this book was definitely worth the long audiobook hold.
Incorporating similar cases across the Atlantic that were occurring at the same time as Ewan was fighting for his rights, this book was definitely worth the long audiobook hold.
February 5, 2024
FASCINATING. I shouldn't have left the review so long, because some of the particulars have faded, but I do remember being very struck by the way trans men were considered common and NBD/kind of ignored, because patriarchy and *of course* women would want to be men, but when white trans women who were making use of medical advances became hypervisible (hit the papers), cis people lost their shit and transphobia against both was suddenly much worse.
That the author ends the book advocating for gender-neutral primogeniture was not on my bingo card, though. I didn't know that QEII implemented a monarchy-specific one, so that was interesting.
That the author ends the book advocating for gender-neutral primogeniture was not on my bingo card, though. I didn't know that QEII implemented a monarchy-specific one, so that was interesting.
September 29, 2022
The story of Ewan Forbes is a genuinely fascinating one – he was an aristocrat who was assigned female at birth, but later had his birth certificate amended to show that he was indeed male, which allowed him to marry. He became a doctor and lived a quiet life as a husband, doctor, and church elder, fully accepted by the local community.
In 1965, Ewan's older brother died unexpectedly leaving Ewan, as the next male heir, to inherit the baronetcy. Despite Ewan handing over the estates to his cousin John, the next male in line, the cousin was not satisfied & started a lengthy legal process to have Ewan recorded as still legally female and thus unable to succeed due to the laws of male primogeniture.
Ewan was therefore forced to defend his male status in court, where the judge ruled that Ewan was the next lawful male heir. With the case settled, Ewan returned to his quiet life as a rural landowner (not at the family estate but a small estate he’d purchased known as Brux), a church elder and later a Justice of the Peace for Aberdeenshire. He died in 1991, and having had no children, the baronetcy passed to John, the cousin who had dragged him through the courts in a bid to get the title 26 years sooner.
The biggest problems with this book, and one which does a HUGE disservice to the story of Ewan Forbes, is that it’s been written by a Trans-activist, not a biographer/academic.
The first part, Ewan’s story, was actually very interesting, but the end of the book is full of opinion as the author tries to use Ewan’s case to justify/explain some other significant cases such as April Ashley and Lili Elbe, and to cover the persecution and “treatment” of transgendered people through the latter half of the 20th Century.
The “blurb” describes the book as “Enlightening and galvanizing, The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes is a "remarkable...vital historical reference" for transgender history and the ongoing struggle for trans rights.”
Unfortunately it is NOT a vital historical reference – and any scholar will see immediately that the actual research is very limited and that the author draws no conclusions from thorough consideration of the historical and legal evidence, but from opinion. The case was heard in private, but it was not “hidden”, it was reported in the "Aberdeen Press and Journal" at the time. The hearing was 'in chambers' because of the sensitivity of the evidence – I’m sure even the most open-minded and forward-thinking person will understand why somebody might not want in-depth discussions about their genitalia and sexual practices to be open to a media circus!
I listened to the audiobook and the narration was adequate – there were some occasions when there were noticeable shufflings of paper or hesitations, and the use of voices at times was oddly stereotypical (female in a high pitched squeak, male in a gruff voice).
Overall, this is a book I’m glad I read in order to learn more about Ewan Forbes, a story that needed to be told – however it is not a book I will recommend due to the inherent errors & the obvious bias. Ewan Forbes deserves far better.
In 1965, Ewan's older brother died unexpectedly leaving Ewan, as the next male heir, to inherit the baronetcy. Despite Ewan handing over the estates to his cousin John, the next male in line, the cousin was not satisfied & started a lengthy legal process to have Ewan recorded as still legally female and thus unable to succeed due to the laws of male primogeniture.
Ewan was therefore forced to defend his male status in court, where the judge ruled that Ewan was the next lawful male heir. With the case settled, Ewan returned to his quiet life as a rural landowner (not at the family estate but a small estate he’d purchased known as Brux), a church elder and later a Justice of the Peace for Aberdeenshire. He died in 1991, and having had no children, the baronetcy passed to John, the cousin who had dragged him through the courts in a bid to get the title 26 years sooner.
The biggest problems with this book, and one which does a HUGE disservice to the story of Ewan Forbes, is that it’s been written by a Trans-activist, not a biographer/academic.
The first part, Ewan’s story, was actually very interesting, but the end of the book is full of opinion as the author tries to use Ewan’s case to justify/explain some other significant cases such as April Ashley and Lili Elbe, and to cover the persecution and “treatment” of transgendered people through the latter half of the 20th Century.
The “blurb” describes the book as “Enlightening and galvanizing, The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes is a "remarkable...vital historical reference" for transgender history and the ongoing struggle for trans rights.”
Unfortunately it is NOT a vital historical reference – and any scholar will see immediately that the actual research is very limited and that the author draws no conclusions from thorough consideration of the historical and legal evidence, but from opinion. The case was heard in private, but it was not “hidden”, it was reported in the "Aberdeen Press and Journal" at the time. The hearing was 'in chambers' because of the sensitivity of the evidence – I’m sure even the most open-minded and forward-thinking person will understand why somebody might not want in-depth discussions about their genitalia and sexual practices to be open to a media circus!
I listened to the audiobook and the narration was adequate – there were some occasions when there were noticeable shufflings of paper or hesitations, and the use of voices at times was oddly stereotypical (female in a high pitched squeak, male in a gruff voice).
Overall, this is a book I’m glad I read in order to learn more about Ewan Forbes, a story that needed to be told – however it is not a book I will recommend due to the inherent errors & the obvious bias. Ewan Forbes deserves far better.
November 5, 2021
Short one-line summary: This book is fascinating, eye-opening, and thought-provoking, GO AND READ IT!
This book is really two-in-one: first, a biography of a Scottish aristocrat, and second, an examination of the legal and social changes to the way our society has treated transgender people in the past century. Not only are both of these done extremely well, but they feed into one another.
📚Read this and other reviews on my blog!
Ewan Forbes is – until now, at least – a relatively unknown figure. He lived a quiet life in Scotland with his wife, spending his days first as the local doctor and then as the laird when he unexpectedly inherited the title of baronet thanks to male primogeniture* in 1965. Waiting in the wings, though, was his cousin, who took Ewan to court over the inheritance. The cousin argued that as Ewan was assigned female at birth he shouldn’t be able to inherit, despite his amended birth certificate. The court actually ruled in Ewan’s favour, but kept the decision a secret until it was unearthed after his death.
Playdon argues that the question raised in Ewan’s case marked a turning point in attitudes towards trans people in the UK. While the court ruled in Ewan’s favour, Playdon theorises that the repercussions that decision could have on the British establishment were seen as not being worth the risk. She examines how social, political and medical attitudes towards the trans community have changed over the past century – the majority of which overlaps with Ewan’s lifetime – with extraordinary depth, knowledge, and understanding. She lays bare so much of the transphobic rhetoric thrown around today, exposing its roots, and drawing attention to how this affects the mindset of even the most liberal allies to the trans community.
‘Hidden case’ is a truly apt title for a hidden history that it is vital we all understand. As Ewan’s story so clearly demonstrates, the rights of trans people – and, by extension, any marginalised group – can be easily written away, and it is vital we don’t let that happen again.
*A system of inheritance in which titles automatically get passed down the male line, whether or not the recipient wants it, regardless of how many daughters have been born. If this didn’t already sound like a bad enough idea, these titles usually come with land, money, and actual real political power. But that’s for another day.
I received a free copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
This book is really two-in-one: first, a biography of a Scottish aristocrat, and second, an examination of the legal and social changes to the way our society has treated transgender people in the past century. Not only are both of these done extremely well, but they feed into one another.
📚Read this and other reviews on my blog!
Ewan Forbes is – until now, at least – a relatively unknown figure. He lived a quiet life in Scotland with his wife, spending his days first as the local doctor and then as the laird when he unexpectedly inherited the title of baronet thanks to male primogeniture* in 1965. Waiting in the wings, though, was his cousin, who took Ewan to court over the inheritance. The cousin argued that as Ewan was assigned female at birth he shouldn’t be able to inherit, despite his amended birth certificate. The court actually ruled in Ewan’s favour, but kept the decision a secret until it was unearthed after his death.
Playdon argues that the question raised in Ewan’s case marked a turning point in attitudes towards trans people in the UK. While the court ruled in Ewan’s favour, Playdon theorises that the repercussions that decision could have on the British establishment were seen as not being worth the risk. She examines how social, political and medical attitudes towards the trans community have changed over the past century – the majority of which overlaps with Ewan’s lifetime – with extraordinary depth, knowledge, and understanding. She lays bare so much of the transphobic rhetoric thrown around today, exposing its roots, and drawing attention to how this affects the mindset of even the most liberal allies to the trans community.
‘Hidden case’ is a truly apt title for a hidden history that it is vital we all understand. As Ewan’s story so clearly demonstrates, the rights of trans people – and, by extension, any marginalised group – can be easily written away, and it is vital we don’t let that happen again.
*A system of inheritance in which titles automatically get passed down the male line, whether or not the recipient wants it, regardless of how many daughters have been born. If this didn’t already sound like a bad enough idea, these titles usually come with land, money, and actual real political power. But that’s for another day.
I received a free copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
February 14, 2022
This was a very interesting part of British trans history. The book was part biography and part general history, and covered the state of trans rights and transphobia in the UK all the way up to the present day. It focuses on the life of Ewan Forbes, a posh Scottish Doctor, who was a trans man who began taking hormones as a teen and had his birth certificate changed to male. The first part looked at early and mid 20th century trans history in the UK. When trans people were able to change their birth certificate based on the recommendation of Doctors. However, this clearly only applied to people in a certain position of privilege. According to the author at this point trans people were viewed as intersex, requiring medical treatments and only later did they become pathologized and were seen as having a mental illness. The one question I had about using Ewan as this landmark case for trans rights that was hidden away, was it changed the narrative at the time. Ewan's argument was fundamentally that he was intersex and not trans, which meant he was male. He was trying to disprove that he had ever been biologically female. It is important and a good history but there were a few things that didn't fit. Playdon talked about the trans narrative of the time, and how people identified in that period, and the narrative they used to obtain help. Yet in that same period she refers to Stephen, the main character from the Well of Loneliness as a trans man. While not part of that trans narrative of that period, Radclyffe Hall had gone on record that Stephen was an invert, which was not the same as the trans narrative for binary trans people. She said third sex and invert. So I think it's important that history books don't change people's own narratives.
But apart from that it was very interesting. It was a good outline of how things changed and transphobia grew. How the GICs started and the terrible health care system we have for trans people started and grew into what we had today.
It is interesting and I did learn a lot and definitely one I would recommend.
But apart from that it was very interesting. It was a good outline of how things changed and transphobia grew. How the GICs started and the terrible health care system we have for trans people started and grew into what we had today.
It is interesting and I did learn a lot and definitely one I would recommend.
February 19, 2022
I couldn’t finish this book. I requested it as I thought the premise was fascinating and as the blurb points out, a story that was hidden from the public domain for a very long time. However I think the author made an error in the way she chose to tell the story.
Playdon freely acknowledges that neither Ewan Forbes nor his wife Isabella left any letters or diaries and never publicly discussed what was to Ewan a deeply private matter. In fact the pair had both passed away before she had had a chance to read the original trial
transcripts. Faced with these limitations the author still chose to write the story from Ewan’s perspective. This involved a lot of extrapolation, and the constant barrage of ‘He would have been/seen/felt’ and ‘She would have been/seen/felt’ with regard to Ewan and Isabella drove me demented!!!!! It turned a serious book about a serious subject into a work of fiction! If that is what the author wanted then that is what the author and publisher should have marketed this as!
The narrative also keeps breaking away from Ewan’s story and talking about the wider history of trans rights at the time. I understand why the author chose to do this but it does disrupt the flow of the story. It would have read much better if this was either an examination of trans rights with a focus on this particular case instead of a part biography(without a lot of primary source material) and part social history.
A final criticism. The author has mentioned a couple of things that I thought sounded interesting like Ewan’s brother William being unfairly persecuted by MI6 so I looked it up. It turns out he was a spy and not unfairly targeted at all. Playing fast and loose with the facts does the book a disservice and makes you question what other facts are reported incorrectly!
Additional Note - I also tried listening to the audiobook however, I kept hearing the narrator rustling papers which was really distracting and the different accents were unnecessary in my opinion.
** Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher **
Playdon freely acknowledges that neither Ewan Forbes nor his wife Isabella left any letters or diaries and never publicly discussed what was to Ewan a deeply private matter. In fact the pair had both passed away before she had had a chance to read the original trial
transcripts. Faced with these limitations the author still chose to write the story from Ewan’s perspective. This involved a lot of extrapolation, and the constant barrage of ‘He would have been/seen/felt’ and ‘She would have been/seen/felt’ with regard to Ewan and Isabella drove me demented!!!!! It turned a serious book about a serious subject into a work of fiction! If that is what the author wanted then that is what the author and publisher should have marketed this as!
The narrative also keeps breaking away from Ewan’s story and talking about the wider history of trans rights at the time. I understand why the author chose to do this but it does disrupt the flow of the story. It would have read much better if this was either an examination of trans rights with a focus on this particular case instead of a part biography(without a lot of primary source material) and part social history.
A final criticism. The author has mentioned a couple of things that I thought sounded interesting like Ewan’s brother William being unfairly persecuted by MI6 so I looked it up. It turns out he was a spy and not unfairly targeted at all. Playing fast and loose with the facts does the book a disservice and makes you question what other facts are reported incorrectly!
Additional Note - I also tried listening to the audiobook however, I kept hearing the narrator rustling papers which was really distracting and the different accents were unnecessary in my opinion.
** Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher **
February 4, 2022
Playdon is writing less as a scholar than as an activist, and she makes no attempt to disguise the fact that she's interested in Ewan's story not just as an inherently interesting bit of lost history, an expansion of our understanding of the ways in which LGBTQ+ and gender-nonconforming people have managed to live their lives, but as a tool she can use in making and furthering an activist case for the rethinking of the laws and the discourse around gender as they affect trans people. This is of course a completely valid use to make of this story, but it does mean she is less careful with some of the legal details of the story she uncovers than she should be in service of that goal. The argument has been convincingly made elsewhere that she distorts, misstates, and overstates both some of the facts and the overall legal importance of the case. But this book is nevertheless well worth reading, partly for the inherent interest of Ewan Forbes' life and partly for Playdon's passionate insistence on the need to recognise the full and marvellous human dignity of trans and gender-nonconforming people.
April 10, 2022
Being trans was initially considered a biological anomaly but thanks to the male dominant society, which was threatened to lose its power, it was slowly turned into a mental illness. In a world where gay men were already criminals in the eyes of law and lesbians had no existence, this change was a disaster.
Trans people were stripped off their human rights. They lost their right to get their birth certificates corrected and couldn’t work. They were at the mercy of their doctors to get any treatment but whether that’s the treatment they needed was another matter altogether. In the name of therapy, it was more of an abuse-physical and mental. They were turned from humans to objects.
The fight for justice was tough and long. While most of the battles were lost, there were some which were won, including the Ewan Forbes case.
Ewan was assigned female at birth. But he was lucky to have a mother who understood who he was early on and made sure to get him the required medical treatment. Ewan might have still been a girl for the society but at least he was allowed to be his own self at his home- the price he had to pay for coming from a famous family with the right resources and connections. When he had to defend his status of being a male even after getting his birth certificate corrected, it threatened to destroy the life that he had built. It was a battle that he didn’t want to fight but had to. And even though the result was declared in his favor, was it really a win? All those years of fear, torture, and uncertainty that Ewan and his family had to go through, the physical and mental abuse, the scars that stayed with him till the end and the loss of the only thing that mattered to him. Were they all worth it?
Read all about the life of Ewan Forbes and his fight to defend his status of being a male citizen of the country. What was so different about this case and what led to the decision of keeping the case hidden. The book not only explores the case but also connects it with the world around it and how they both affected one another.
Thanks to @bloomsburyindia for the review copy.
Trans people were stripped off their human rights. They lost their right to get their birth certificates corrected and couldn’t work. They were at the mercy of their doctors to get any treatment but whether that’s the treatment they needed was another matter altogether. In the name of therapy, it was more of an abuse-physical and mental. They were turned from humans to objects.
The fight for justice was tough and long. While most of the battles were lost, there were some which were won, including the Ewan Forbes case.
Ewan was assigned female at birth. But he was lucky to have a mother who understood who he was early on and made sure to get him the required medical treatment. Ewan might have still been a girl for the society but at least he was allowed to be his own self at his home- the price he had to pay for coming from a famous family with the right resources and connections. When he had to defend his status of being a male even after getting his birth certificate corrected, it threatened to destroy the life that he had built. It was a battle that he didn’t want to fight but had to. And even though the result was declared in his favor, was it really a win? All those years of fear, torture, and uncertainty that Ewan and his family had to go through, the physical and mental abuse, the scars that stayed with him till the end and the loss of the only thing that mattered to him. Were they all worth it?
Read all about the life of Ewan Forbes and his fight to defend his status of being a male citizen of the country. What was so different about this case and what led to the decision of keeping the case hidden. The book not only explores the case but also connects it with the world around it and how they both affected one another.
Thanks to @bloomsburyindia for the review copy.
June 19, 2023
This book exposes the link between resistance to trans liberation and the upholding of male primogeniture in British society. The beginning was a bit slow, as it covered the details of family lineage and aristocracy that I personally do not find so engaging. The history and legal analysis that followed were very interesting, though as a lay-person rather than a legal scholar, I would have been interested in more details about how precedent operates in British case law, the legality of mechanisms by which Ewan’s case was hidden, and an explicit analysis of how the hiding of his legal precedent would have impacted future cases; there was a bit too much hand-waving about this for my liking. It was interesting to learn that future cases that ignored the ruling in Ewan’s were referred to by legal decisions internationally, since it’s surprising that one country’s court would so influence another’s! I found it did a disservice to the extensive research that went into this book for the author to often make presumptions about what Ewan (and Patty) would have felt in relation to particular events in their own lives and in trans politics more generally, rather than just (option A) sticking with the facts and stating what was going on without such projections or (option B) saying something like “if I were Ewan, I might have felt…” (though this would have felt out of place, given the relative invisibility of the author’s subjectivity otherwise). The author may have done this in her attempt to write for a popular audience rather than a scholarly one, but I found it weakened the book significantly. Overall, an important contribution to queer legal/historical scholarship and an interesting read!
December 31, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this insight into trans history, but oh it made me so angry to see written out the horrific and dehumanizing sh*t trans people had to experience (and still do). Playdon did expert research and I really felt for Ewan, especially during his trial. This is mainly a UK focused book,so much of the historical facts are UK based, but Playdon does give a pretty good idea of trans history from a world viewpoint as well, with some mention of trans experience in Asia and Africa, as well as sections dedicated to what was going on in LGBT+ communities (including intersectionality and other parallel movements) in the US and Europe at the time, giving a well rounded sense of global opinion. Definitely a great and necessary addition to the growing bookshelf of written trans history and experiences.
May 16, 2024
"Male primogeniture inheritance was now safe from the fantasised menace of trans people."
If you want to read any trans history book, this is the one to pick up. This book is such a rich, widely encompassing account of anti-trans legislation. The breadth of topics covered is genuinely amazing.
Historical context is key throughout, and Playdon constantly spells out contemporary action, particularly the impact of Elizabeth II's coronation on primogeniture law, changing clinical views of trans identity, and the media frenzy surrounding April Ashley.
The balance between handling a historically critical moment in trans legislation, with the gravity of the trial for the people it affects is heartbreaking. Ewan and Patty are written so beautifully, their love unfurls so naturally on the page making the crushing embarrassment of the trial on their private lives all the more devastating.
If you want to read any trans history book, this is the one to pick up. This book is such a rich, widely encompassing account of anti-trans legislation. The breadth of topics covered is genuinely amazing.
Historical context is key throughout, and Playdon constantly spells out contemporary action, particularly the impact of Elizabeth II's coronation on primogeniture law, changing clinical views of trans identity, and the media frenzy surrounding April Ashley.
The balance between handling a historically critical moment in trans legislation, with the gravity of the trial for the people it affects is heartbreaking. Ewan and Patty are written so beautifully, their love unfurls so naturally on the page making the crushing embarrassment of the trial on their private lives all the more devastating.
June 10, 2022
4.5 stars. I found this book fascinating, if at times upsetting. It’s very hard to hear the atrocious way trans people have been treated in our society, but so important to know about. The narration of the audiobook was not quite to my taste, but this may be more of a case of the stuffy British accents used in passages of direct quotation rather than any bigger issue.
November 26, 2024
Absolutely fascinating read! I really enjoyed learning the history of trans rights-related court cases and what endocrinology and gender affirming care looked like in the early 20th Century. Anyone interested in the recent history of transphobia and trans medicine should give this one a read. It's very well-researched and not difficult to follow.
December 30, 2021
Amazing, everyone needs to read this book; it shatters the illusion that things have gotten better for trans people and that much is left to be achieved.
October 27, 2021
I don't quite know how to describe this book.
A hopeful story of a trans man getting to live his life in peace, until a petty jealous cousin he never knew appears at his brothers funeral?
A precise laying out and excoriating take down of the bigotry and non-medicine used to evaporate the rights of trans people?
Both? I'll go with both. This is a powerful, sobering, angering, enlightening read. This book is going to cause a lot of noise very shortly. About damn time.
A hopeful story of a trans man getting to live his life in peace, until a petty jealous cousin he never knew appears at his brothers funeral?
A precise laying out and excoriating take down of the bigotry and non-medicine used to evaporate the rights of trans people?
Both? I'll go with both. This is a powerful, sobering, angering, enlightening read. This book is going to cause a lot of noise very shortly. About damn time.
March 5, 2024
"Trans people should be as free as everyone else to define and lives their lives with the same access as cis people to supportive healthcare, legislation, education, and social affirmation."
We still have so much work to do. The Hidden Case was an enlightening and infuriating look at the trans experience and how far we still have to go to achieve equality and just let people be themselves.
We still have so much work to do. The Hidden Case was an enlightening and infuriating look at the trans experience and how far we still have to go to achieve equality and just let people be themselves.
January 20, 2022
Interesting biography, but the latter parts seem to be less objective fact, and more opinion and rhetoric.
No evidence is presented that prior to the 1960s trans people had more rights than after. In fact in the interview after the audiobook, the author says that Ewan Forbes was the first person to have been able to change the sex on his birth certificate. This goes against the argument in the book that this was something easy to do in the past, or even a right that was taken away after the Forbes case.
No evidence is presented that prior to the 1960s trans people had more rights than after. In fact in the interview after the audiobook, the author says that Ewan Forbes was the first person to have been able to change the sex on his birth certificate. This goes against the argument in the book that this was something easy to do in the past, or even a right that was taken away after the Forbes case.
September 8, 2024
I’m so happy I read this book! I didn’t know anything about this case and I learned so much about transgender rights in the UK throughout history. It was also interesting to see it through the aristocratic lens that he was born into it. I really felt for Ewan and am glad I read this!
June 8, 2023
After finishing this book I was certain of giving it a full 5 star rating but since reading some reviews and the online discourse which is summarised in this article: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti... I have chosen to lower it to 4. I won’t describe the story of Dr Ewan Forbes in my review as you can learn this from others. I’ll start with what I enjoyed most about this book.
Playdon does a great job of portraying Ewan’s life which is very fascinating, he and his wife Patty seemed like such lovely people that were a real rock in their community. His story is the focus but there’s also other trans individuals and the book showcases the history of trans rights (or lack there of) with a focus on the UK. Other cases, specifically that of April Ashley, ‘P’ and ‘R’ were all fascinating and landmarks in their own right, along with Ewan’s. Playdon takes us from the early 1900s up through to 2020 and negating the possible fallacies in the primary story, the cases and history were true. This is by far my favourite part of the book and the reason I loved it so much, I definitely learnt loads from it and for this reason I still feel confident in recommending it, to trans people, the rest of us that make up the LGBTQ+ community (we’ve long forgotten our trans and non-binary siblings), allies and everyone too. There is certainly a focus on the law, different cases, acts and bills and the like but it was written quite accessibly - I listened to the audiobook and did enjoy this, I found not directly seeing all this information did help in all honesty - and most importantly, this story should be told and either purposely or not, was forgotten about for many years.
As mentioned above, the case of Ewan Forbes and later that of April Ashley did heavily impact the lives of trans people then and currently still do. Whilst the former did win, Patty later stated ‘Those that win, do so at a personal cost’ referencing the vile treatment of Ewan, and subsequently many others, in his sex identification examination and the pressing personal questions the couple were forced to answer too. Ashley was so horrendously treated by her ‘husband’ and this was truly horrible to read at times but sadly her experience wasn’t a one off. For many years that followed, trans people’s rights were taken and their standing in society heavily jeopardised. When Forbes was younger, he self-identified as male, he sought out affirmable medical treatment, changed his birth certificate and till 1965 lived a nearly equal life to cisgender people. Despite coming from a very rich background and a mother, Gwendolyn, who helped out massively - side note: so she basically fully accepted him and helped find/fund the necessary treatments and this was OVER 100 years ago when times were by and large very different to today, but still people *parents* chose not to accept or even recognise trans people now… umm I thought we moved forward but okay -, trans people could take these steps to feel more comfortable in their bodies and society. After Forbes’s case was hidden and Ashley’s loss, these steps were made unavailable as someone’s gender would be solely defined by their birth certificate leading to the disgusting treatment of trans people in all aspects of life for over a decade and still now. Conversion therapy and forced sterilisation was taking placed from the 1970s up until 1996, how is this possible?! Honestly it’s sickening what many faced and is explained in this book, I’m so angry just writing this. A quote from the book sums up a lot of this period: ‘Trans people were objects for discussion, deluded masqueraders at best to be told who and what they are, and in no way experts on their own lives’ and does this sound familiar to things happening now? It does to me, still trans people aren’t awarded the rights they deserve (and once had) and the growing transphobic rhetoric in ‘culture wars’ and laws/bills being passed in many places around the world *US*. What I also found interesting was the discourse on media portrayals of trans people and how they expressed and impacted the attitudes of the time. These and many aspects of the book are focused on the UK which again I loved as I feel much of queer history is told via a US-centric lens so it was refreshing, but Playdon does include things from America, Europe, Australia and other places too. Two later court cases, that of ‘P’ and ‘R’ involved two trans women who stood their ground, were immensely brave and inspirational in the face of the UK and EU courts and were integral to the trans rights movement. But there’s still a lot more to do.
What I guess I didn’t like all that much was how the book tries to act on many ways like a biography for Ewan Forbes. It isn’t this fact because his life and story is fascinating and should be told, just it’s not coming from him. I felt like Playdon didn’t particularly put things into his mouth but there’s this ‘he would’ve… because we don’t know’ sensation which is a little unnerving… kind of? But also not? I don’t really know. Forbes did purposely keep parts of his life secret or hidden and has reasons for this but at the same time knowledge of his life (and case) does impact many people so maybe he’d be happy it’s out now… we don’t know. In the interview section at the end of the audiobook, Playdon states how she consulted Forbes’s relatives and others that knows he personally so I’m guessing they’d consent to her telling his story and it being in the world is a good thing as a whole in my opinion.
From reading some reviews and the article I am a little sceptical on the facts of the matter but I would still defiantly recommend giving this book a read (or listen). Be mindful of explicit transphobia, misogyny, and homophobia as well as other TW topics of discussion.
Playdon does a great job of portraying Ewan’s life which is very fascinating, he and his wife Patty seemed like such lovely people that were a real rock in their community. His story is the focus but there’s also other trans individuals and the book showcases the history of trans rights (or lack there of) with a focus on the UK. Other cases, specifically that of April Ashley, ‘P’ and ‘R’ were all fascinating and landmarks in their own right, along with Ewan’s. Playdon takes us from the early 1900s up through to 2020 and negating the possible fallacies in the primary story, the cases and history were true. This is by far my favourite part of the book and the reason I loved it so much, I definitely learnt loads from it and for this reason I still feel confident in recommending it, to trans people, the rest of us that make up the LGBTQ+ community (we’ve long forgotten our trans and non-binary siblings), allies and everyone too. There is certainly a focus on the law, different cases, acts and bills and the like but it was written quite accessibly - I listened to the audiobook and did enjoy this, I found not directly seeing all this information did help in all honesty - and most importantly, this story should be told and either purposely or not, was forgotten about for many years.
As mentioned above, the case of Ewan Forbes and later that of April Ashley did heavily impact the lives of trans people then and currently still do. Whilst the former did win, Patty later stated ‘Those that win, do so at a personal cost’ referencing the vile treatment of Ewan, and subsequently many others, in his sex identification examination and the pressing personal questions the couple were forced to answer too. Ashley was so horrendously treated by her ‘husband’ and this was truly horrible to read at times but sadly her experience wasn’t a one off. For many years that followed, trans people’s rights were taken and their standing in society heavily jeopardised. When Forbes was younger, he self-identified as male, he sought out affirmable medical treatment, changed his birth certificate and till 1965 lived a nearly equal life to cisgender people. Despite coming from a very rich background and a mother, Gwendolyn, who helped out massively - side note: so she basically fully accepted him and helped find/fund the necessary treatments and this was OVER 100 years ago when times were by and large very different to today, but still people *parents* chose not to accept or even recognise trans people now… umm I thought we moved forward but okay -, trans people could take these steps to feel more comfortable in their bodies and society. After Forbes’s case was hidden and Ashley’s loss, these steps were made unavailable as someone’s gender would be solely defined by their birth certificate leading to the disgusting treatment of trans people in all aspects of life for over a decade and still now. Conversion therapy and forced sterilisation was taking placed from the 1970s up until 1996, how is this possible?! Honestly it’s sickening what many faced and is explained in this book, I’m so angry just writing this. A quote from the book sums up a lot of this period: ‘Trans people were objects for discussion, deluded masqueraders at best to be told who and what they are, and in no way experts on their own lives’ and does this sound familiar to things happening now? It does to me, still trans people aren’t awarded the rights they deserve (and once had) and the growing transphobic rhetoric in ‘culture wars’ and laws/bills being passed in many places around the world *US*. What I also found interesting was the discourse on media portrayals of trans people and how they expressed and impacted the attitudes of the time. These and many aspects of the book are focused on the UK which again I loved as I feel much of queer history is told via a US-centric lens so it was refreshing, but Playdon does include things from America, Europe, Australia and other places too. Two later court cases, that of ‘P’ and ‘R’ involved two trans women who stood their ground, were immensely brave and inspirational in the face of the UK and EU courts and were integral to the trans rights movement. But there’s still a lot more to do.
What I guess I didn’t like all that much was how the book tries to act on many ways like a biography for Ewan Forbes. It isn’t this fact because his life and story is fascinating and should be told, just it’s not coming from him. I felt like Playdon didn’t particularly put things into his mouth but there’s this ‘he would’ve… because we don’t know’ sensation which is a little unnerving… kind of? But also not? I don’t really know. Forbes did purposely keep parts of his life secret or hidden and has reasons for this but at the same time knowledge of his life (and case) does impact many people so maybe he’d be happy it’s out now… we don’t know. In the interview section at the end of the audiobook, Playdon states how she consulted Forbes’s relatives and others that knows he personally so I’m guessing they’d consent to her telling his story and it being in the world is a good thing as a whole in my opinion.
From reading some reviews and the article I am a little sceptical on the facts of the matter but I would still defiantly recommend giving this book a read (or listen). Be mindful of explicit transphobia, misogyny, and homophobia as well as other TW topics of discussion.
November 9, 2021
This was completely interesting, I had never heard of this story - my knowledge of LGBTQ+ is very limited but I am learning.
I found the book very well researched and liked the way modern parallels were drawn.
I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.
I found the book very well researched and liked the way modern parallels were drawn.
I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.
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