Portrait of…Caroline Cossey

With the first “Portrait of…”, I discussed a person who was a pioneer in the care of transgender people, Dr Magnus Hirshfeld, and for this second episode of this occasional series, we will meet someone who was also a pioneer, this time for trans rights, and like Dr Magnus, is someone we have met before.

I will use contemporary language and terminology throughout, although I will highlight and use some outdated terminology to illustrate how understanding of being trans has evolved.

Also on the transcript page for this episode on the podcast’s website at www.twts.co.ok, are links to three videos that I mention.

Welcome to “Trans Wise Trans Strong”, I am Carolyne O’Reilly.

Episode twenty-one, “Portrait of…Caroline Cossey”

One can be getting on with one’s life, when out of the blue the world can come crashing in, like a vile unwanted visitor, the visitor in this case was a newspaper, that no longer exists, the British “News of the World”.

The reason for its demise, on the 10th of July 2011, was as a result of the “phone hacking scandal”, where it, along with a number of other tabloid newspapers discovered that many people had not changed their phone’s default PIN used to access voicemail.

And instead of highlighting this risk to privacy, they exploited it, committing criminal offences by illegally intercepting mobile phone voicemails of the famous and not so famous, as well as children’s voicemails.

This disgusting behaviour was not atypical of the paper, as twenty years earlier on the 6th of September 1981, the “News of the World”, with transphobic cruelty intruded into Caroline’s life, by revealing they were assigned male at birth and their phrasing was equally cruel.

Yet three and a half years earlier on the 9th April 1978, another Murdoch publication, “The Sun”, was happy to feature Caroline with her sister, posing topless on their infamous page 3.

And that delightful bit of sexism finally bit the dust on the 20th of January 2015.

But where did Caroline’s story begin, it was on 31st of August 1954 that Caroline was born, in Norwich, and it was whilst at junior school, that Caroline experienced balance issues, and was examined at a hospital where they suggested, somewhat vaguely, it might be something hormonal.

Later Caroline would reflect that this was the first indication of her physiological difference, not that the hospital picked up on this then.

After Junior school, senior school followed which Caroline left aged 15, as it wasn’t until 1972 that the leaving age in the UK was raised to 16.

As her build was slight she was bullied, but this was also when she would dress up at home with her sister Pam, and try on make-up.

It was during her last year at school that Caroline grew her hair long which was not that unusual then, if male, but she was teased about her long hair, although was less worried by this teasing.

Following school she began working at a boutique, then transferred to a smaller branch close to a gay pub, which she eventually plucked up the courage to go in and met someone with whom she would have her first serious relationship, Adrian.

Caroline would wear makeup when going out, as she liked looking like a girl, and gradually began wearing more makeup, and after a while they were invited to a party held in a large house with extensive grounds, and got to know and became great friends with the host Neville.

However after a scary hitch-hiking experience decided to move to London, where she lived first in a small flat then moved into a bedsit, with someone she met at the party, David.

In London she found work in a delicatessen but also worked evenings in theatres, to boost her income, as a member of the front house staff.

The bedsit was in a large house and there she met someone who would play a pivotal role in her life, Polly, who Caroline first thought was a cisgender woman, but she was actually a drag artist.

They would go out together to clubs that had drag cabaret’s, and at one Caroline had another scary experience, when she and Polly both narrowly escaped a possible arrest for, “female impersonation”.

This was the early seventies and in the UK trans women had no legal recognition of their gender identity, hence when in public, could be charged with "female impersonation" or a public disorder offence.

I was going to say this seems hard to credit now, and yet as of April 2025, The Supreme Court, ruled that a person could be excluded from places, facilities, organisations, if their gender identity was not the same as the sex they were assigned at birth.

Although the ruling applied equally if trans male, I have yet to hear of any instances of trans male exclusion, funny that.

On a personal level, I suppose I could possibly be threatened with arrest if I used the women’s toilet, which I have done, without issue, for over the last six years, well if that should happen, my response would be bring it on, because I am prepared to stand up and be counted, hmm that reminds me of a song lyric.

Caroline was spending her evenings dressing more feminine and enjoyed buying make-up, then one night her friend Polly gave a party, which was a turning point for Caroline, where the usual drag queens were invited, however one caught her attention as she had breasts.

And when a few days later she came out with Caroline and Polly, Caroline asked her about her breast development, and was told she was taking hormone tablets, and gave her the details of the doctor who proscribed them.

Caroline made an appointment and at the appointment she said she was 20, to appear more mature, when she was actually 17, and was given a prescription for hormone tablets.

Her doctor also told her that she could have gender affirming surgery, which is also known as gender reconstruction surgery, however this would have been described as a sex-change operation, a phrase I hate, and Caroline knew this would be a path she had to take.

Initially Caroline thought that Casablanca was the place to go for her operation, although subsequently learnt, that although it was a great place as a film setting, it was not so for gender affirming surgery.

So why my animus to that phrase, well I contend that my sex was always female, yes my physiology wasn’t until I began gender affirming hormone therapy and had my gender affirming surgery.

Therefore my surgery did not change my sex, what it achieved was to align my body to my gender, and not just aesthetically, but following full recovery, well all I will just say is, wow!

Before starting her hormone therapy Caroline had been going home regularly, then her brother Terry came to stay with her for a little while, and Caroline decided to let him see her as she was now.

He thought she looked amazing and said he would let her parents know about her transition, however a fraught call with her father resulted in a period when she broke off contact, however her sister Pam helped her reestablish her relationship with her parents.

It was whilst working at her theatre job, that she was invited for an audition to be come a show girl and was successful, although because of her skimpy costume, had to make a G-string, so she could hide her slight bulge.

This is called tucking and is when a trans woman, before having gender affirming surgery, will tuck her genitals underneath her body to give a flat appearance, it can understandably be rather uncomfortable.

At this time she legally changed her name by Deed Poll to Caroline Cossey, and learnt that she could earn more if she could go topless and decided to have breast augmentation surgery and began saving.

Caroline thought she had made a friend with one of the show girls, Dawn, however Dawn had a boyfriend who wanted to take photographs of her to sell to newspapers that would reveal that Caroline was transgender, she refused point blank, but this incident would foreshadow an event in the early eighties.

Caroline would meet regularly with Polly for a meal and drinks, and on one occasion they met an Arab Prince, who took them to a five star hotel, and before leaving, the Prince’s father gave her £500 towards her breast op.

Now she had enough money and saw her doctor, who recommended a surgeon and soon was able to go topless in the show.

The next step for her career would be to become a Bluebell Girl, and Caroline saw an audition advertised in The Stage, which is the publication covering the performing arts, and had a successful audition with a casting director, Peter, and did not mention she was trans, as why would she, she was a woman.

She was told she would be joining the Bluebell Revue touring Spain, therefore a passport was needed, which she could apply for in person at, “Petty France”, which was the location of the London Passport office.

As she had not had her surgery she could only obtain a temporary passport, which she left with Peter, but a few days later he ask to see her, and asked her why she had not told him she was trans.

He said the Spanish authorities had queried the passport’s restriction, and had made enquiries, Caroline never discovered how he found out about her, but joining the Bluebells was off, which was devastating for her.

However Peter gave her a contact in Paris, Helga, who was German and an ex-Bluebell Girl, who worked at a Paris club where Caroline might find work.

Caroline asked Helga if she should mention she was trans, Helga thought it wouldn’t matter but perhaps best not, but if asked to tell them.

After a while Helga took Caroline to a small club, and their introduced her to the male head waiter, whom Caroline found very attractive and was surprised when Helga said they were assigned male at birth.

Caroline’s reaction to a trans man, illustrates just because you are a trans woman, does not mean you will necessary be aware of the diversity of gender identities.

Caroline enjoyed being taken out but these relationships could only go so far, then she met someone who came from Kuwait and in her autobiography referred to as “H”, who had a suite in a hotel.

After seeing Caroline for a while, he asked her to move in, and so Caroline plucked up the courage to tell him about herself.

His response was that he didn’t care, as he found her beautiful and loved her, and wanted her to leave the show and come and live with him in Kuwait, at first Caroline said she couldn’t as she was saving for gender affirming surgery, but the attraction of living in Kuwait changed her mind.

It was after two to three weeks that Caroline learnt that “H” was married.

Caroline lived in a luxury apartment where “H” visited on weekends, but being a woman was restricted where she could go, and even the lap of luxury can pale, and finally Caroline’s need for her surgery decided her to fly home, which “H” paid for.

And for all the luxury of Kuwait, she arrived home with less money than when she left.

And it was a male dancer friend at where she used to work, who came up with a solution, striptease in Europe, as the law meant she would only be allow to strip down to her G-string, which was perfect.

Her friend helped her develop a routine, and after some thought decided to go to Italy, where she met someone, Claudio, however she kept him at a distance, fearing his reaction if he found out she was trans.

Soon she had £2,000, enough for her operation, and so returned to Britain, but after speaking to Polly decided against Casablanca.

And made an appointment to see her doctor, who informed her that Casablanca would be a bad idea and recommended a surgeon in London who had excellent results, however first she had to see a psychiatrist and it was only if they felt surgery was in her best interest that they would give approval.

If you have listened to the third part of my autobiography, A Journey of Transition: Carolyne's Story - Part Three, you will know I also had to have an assessment before my surgery, however this was with a psychologist.

As what is now referred to as gender incongruence, has changed from being considered a mental disorder to a psychological condition, definite progress

Before her operation she had medical tests, and you remember I said when at junior school she was seen at a hospital for balance issues and they said it maybe something hormonal.

Well the pre-operations test revealed that she had an intersex/DSD condition, XXXY syndrome which is a variant of Klinefelter syndrome, and yes it can cause balance issues, and a more feminine appearance due to significant androgen, testosterone deficiency.

However even if discovered when Caroline was young, given it was the sixties, would they had been given the help to realise her true self, possibly not.

Caroline’s surgery went well, although unlike myself, she did experience quite some pain, although her recovery was quicker than mine, and soon she was off to Italy and now she had the experience of lovemaking as a woman with Claudio.

And her career took another turn as she signed up with an agency working as a glamour model under the name Tula, which in Hindu means pure gold, and had an active social life, and in 1978 won a place on a game show 3-2-1, however a tabloid, so called journalist, contacted her saying they planned to right about her being transgender.

Caroline pulled out of the show, and after was less outgoing, and perhaps thought as nothing about her past had so far materialised, that being trans would not be made public.

But after being cast as an extra in the Roger Moore James Bond film, “For Your Eyes Only”, that hateful edition of the News of the World appeared in September 1981, shattering her world and modelling career.

Caroline continued modelling and responded to her outing by publishing in 1982 her first autobiography, “I am a Woman”, however it was not until her second autobiography, “My Story”, published 1991, that she revealed that she had an Intersex/DSD condition.

Her first relationship after being trans was made public was with Count Glauco Lasino, an Italian advertising executive, and the couple became engaged in 1982, and it was he who encouraged her to challenge the British Government denying that she was a woman.

They did intend to marry but could not do so in the UK, however with the enactment of Law No. 164 on the 14th April 1982 in Italy, it was possible for a trans person to have their affirmed gender legally recognised and so have a straight marriage.

However if cisgender and lesbian or gay, even now it is still not possible to marry in Italy, however by the passing of Law No. 76 of 2016, as of the 5th of June 2016 it was possible to have a same-sex civil union.

And in fact the UK led Italy by passing the Civil Partnership Act 2004, which became law on the 5th December 2005.

On the 24th of February 1984, Caroline used the provision of Article 25 of the European Court of Human Rights, that permits an individual to bring a claim, and Caroline’s was against the UK Government, for refusing to allow her to change her name and sex on her birth certificate and to marry as a woman.

However her relationship with Glauco could not withstand the continuous intense transphobic media pressure, and so in 1985 their engagement ended.

Carolyne’s case was brought under Article 8, that protects intrusion into your private life, your family life, your home and your correspondence, as a birth certificate if asked for, would reveal that a person was transgender, a violation of a person’s right to privacy.

And Article 12 that protects the right of men and women of marriageable age to marry and to start a family.

However it would be just over six and a half years before the court delivered its verdict, and the then Conservative Government fought tooth and nail against Caroline, so no change there then!

But in the mean time Caroline would appear in two videos by “The Power Station” in 1985, Get It On (Bang a Gong) and Some Like It Hot, an continued modelling.

Then in May 1989, she married Elias Fattal who was a British-Israeli businessman, who knew she was transgender, however the “News of the World” would again intrude in her life, by once again making public that she was transgender, although as before in a somewhat hateful manner.

After the publication Elias went to see his parents and Caroline never saw him again, and because at this time Caroline was not legally female, her marriage was annulled, which was exactly what happened to April Ashley in 1970.

Then on 27th of September 1990, the European Court of Human Rights, in the Case of Cossey v. the United Kingdom, gave their verdict, which was in the favour of the UK Government.

Under Article 8, the right to privacy it was ten votes to eight against Caroline’s case, and under Article 12, the right to marry it was fourteen votes to four against.

However although Caroline lost the case, it should be seen in the context of an earlier case that also challenged the UK Government under Articles 8 and 12, brought by Mark Rees, a trans man.

In that earlier Case of Rees v. the United Kingdom, the ruling on the 17th of October 1986, had a greater margin against, under article 8 it was twelve to three votes against and under Article 12, it was unanimously against, therefore we can see the there was progress.

A year later Caroline would be the first trans woman to appear the September 1991 issue of Playboy.

Caroline married for a second time in August 1992 to David Finch, which she was able to, as the marriage took place in the more enlightened Canada.

Caroline, along with others continued to advocate for trans rights and finally under a Labour Government, the Gender Recognition Act 2004 became law on the 4th April 2005.

This enabled having a passport with your correct sex marker if trans, something I recently did, although then as now, there is no X gender neutral option, however in the U.S.A. this was an option until the second presidency of, do you want to guess who?

However to change your sex marker on your birth certificate, and with HM Revenue and Customs, and to marry, you needed a Gender Recognition Certificate, which was also provided under the Act, initially this was one hundred and forty pounds, but now costs six pounds, although it does entails some hoop gymnastics, and paying for a statutory declaration.

However there was an anachronism, if a trans person had married before they came out as trans, then they had to divorce from their partner before being granted a Gender Recognition Certificate, as their marriage would then be considered a same sex marriage, which in 2005 was not permitted, I know, crazy or what.

However with the passing of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, whether transgender or cisgender, if lesbian or gay you could now marry.

And one last thought about the Gender Recognition Act 2004, would today’s Labour Party, given that they practically popped champagne corks when the Supreme Court gave their ruling in April, ’25, enact such legislation, well I wouldn’t hold my breath.

In July 2015, Caroline setup her facebook account, @CarolineCosseyTula, to continue her trans rights advocacy, and as exemplified by that Supreme Court ruling, the fight for trans rights continues.

Then in 2019 Christopher Annino directed a video to the song, Let Me Live by Queen, which featured videos of Queen, interspersed and contrasted with images of love and support for Caroline, and her hateful press harassment.

And if you have enjoyed this episode, perhaps you might enjoy some of the previous twenty episodes, and could let family and friends know, who you think might be interested, about this podcast, which currently has been downloaded in 55 countries, in every continent, bar Antarctica.

Anyone planning a trip to Antarctica, to make it all seven continents?

This episode was written and presented by me, Carolyne O’Reilly, thank you for listening.

Next time, “Transition: Social, Legal, Medical”