Dee Simpson, 76, who transitioned in the early 1960s, says the current state of the trans community is the most alarming in her lifetime. She was moved to speak out after the murder of Brianna Ghey, a 16-year-old trans girl, in 2023.
From top of Rainbow map to number 22
Simpson notes that in 2015, the UK was number one on the Rainbow map, which ranks European countries on LGBTIA+ legal and policy practices. By 2026, the UK has dropped to number 22, a change she finds 'disappointing but also deeply concerning.'
She was among the first to receive gender-affirming surgery on the NHS in 1967, at age 17. After surgery, she was placed on the women's ward and felt 'pure relief, joy and calm.' She later worked as a go-go dancer across Europe and married a man she loved.
Legal setbacks and rising hate crimes
Simpson recalls the 1970 court case of trans dancer April Ashley, when a judge ruled she was male, making it impossible to legally change gender until the Gender Recognition Act 2004. She says trans people have always been 'at best, tolerated, never wholeheartedly accepted.'
She points to a 50% increase in police-recorded hate crimes based on trans identity between 2020/1 and 2024/5. Last year, the UK Supreme Court ruled that sex in the Equality Act 2010 refers strictly to 'biological' sex, meaning trans women are not legally considered women and may be barred from single-sex spaces if providers object.
Personal experience with recent healthcare
Just last week, Simpson was told she would not be on the women's ward for a knee operation, needing a separate room. She found it 'strange and uncomfortable' that her healthcare experience felt more inclusive in the 1960s than in 2026.
She worries about the next generation, noting that at 15 she could easily access hormones with doctors' encouragement, while young trans people today face years of uncertainty and mental strain.
Simpson is writing a book chronicling her trans history, hoping to offer 'joy and hope' to future generations, proving they can thrive, not just survive.
