Coronation Street broke the mould back in 1998 when it introduced the soap’s first transgender character.
Hayley Cropper, played by Julie Hesmondhalgh, was introduced to fans back over two decades ago now. When she was first cast, there was backlash from charities, some of which Julie is now a patron of, as they believed the role should have gone to a transgender actor.
The 52-year-old, from Accrington, Lancashire, insisted she would play the role with “sensitivity and empathy” and that’s what she did as over the next 16 years that followed, Hayley would become one of the soap’s most beloved characters and Julie would win countless awards as a result of her portrayal.
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The majority of Julie’s scenes were spent with David Neilson, who still plays Roy Cropper. Roy first met Julie’s Hayley after they were introduced by Alma Baldwin, but at first, it wasn’t all plain sailing for the couple.
The two split when Hayley revealed she was born as a male. However, after Roy realised he couldn’t live without her, he followed Hayley to Amsterdam where she was having the final part of her treatment.
The couple returned to Weatherfield where things would only get worse for Hayley. Whilst working at Underworld, her birth identity was revealed and she faced bigotry because of it. The show also highlighted the transphobia the trans community face daily with Les Battersby regularly referring to Hayley as a “freak” and a “man”.
Despite this, their love triumphed as they married in 1999, and again in 2010, by which time changes in UK law meant their union could be acknowledged legally as a result of the Gender Recognition Act 2004.
The solid couple provided a loving home to Fiz Brown and Becky McDonald, and they even managed to break down Carla Connor's steely exterior.
Amongst the two weddings, Hayley discovered she had a son, Christian Gatley, fathered before her transition, and admitted to Roy that she'd lied about being a virgin when they met. Roy was shattered by her dishonesty although they soon made up.
In 2013, Hayley battled pancreatic cancer and when the treatment failed, she decided to end her life on her terms, which she did on 20th January 2014, passing away with Roy at her side.
Julie announced her departure from the show in January 2013 and her heartbreaking exit aired the following year. Julie said it was the right time for her to go personally as well as for her character.
She told The Guardian: “‘I left Corrie because it was time for me to go personally, but it was also time for Hayley – a trans woman played by a cis woman – to go, too. I was about to become an absolute anachronism because there were then trans actors to play those parts, and even more now.”
The actress has acknowledged she wouldn't be able to play the trans Corrie character now but has emphasised she is proud of her role in trans history and the fight for equality.
After the introduction of Hayley, it would still be a long time until British soaps would introduce their trans actors in trans roles with the likes of Annie Wallace joining Hollyoaks as Sally St Claire.
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