Julia Grant, the transgender activist who shared her story on primetime British television, has died aged 64.
Grant was the subject of the documentary A Change of Sex, a four-part BBC series that began in 1979 and followed her transition from male to female.
According to the BBC, Grant died following a short illness. She previously survived bowel cancer and suffered from multiple health problems in 2018.
Grant’s brother, Gary Roberts, told the publication she had “worked tirelessly for her community”, adding: “You could say she was a bit like Marmite, but she probably built more bridges in her community than she burnt.
“She inspired a lot of people to believe in themselves and was always there to fight the cause.”
David Pearson, director of A Change of Sex, called Grant a “pioneer” who helped begin a “huge change in public attitudes towards trans people”.
“It’s difficult if you weren’t around at that time to realise how closed and secretive that whole [trans] scene was – and the gay scene to some extent,” he continued. “Essentially, overnight, she made it possible for people to understand what it was like – and she continued to do that.”
Almost nine million people watched the first episode of the series, which followed her journey from seeking advice about transitioning at Charing Cross Hospital to her life after having surgery.
Along with appearing in the documentary, Grant – who lived in Manchester – wrote two books about her life, helped start Benidorm Gay Pride, and counselled young people in the US who were considering getting gender reassignment surgery. She also became a strong advocate for Manchester’s gay village and owned the nightclub Hollywood Showbar in the district.
