Her Secret Is Out

Her Secret Is Out 
(Photos taken InThe Museum of Liverpool, by khatia Shiuka)
 English former 'Vogue' model
and actress April Ashley
was the
tortured little boy George Jamieson
who became a glamorous Lady.

  April Ashley was born George Jamieson in Liverpool in 1935.

April knew she was different from other boys
right away.
April growing up with an abusive and unhappy
home life, she prayed every night that her life
would change.

During WWII, Liverpool was bombed
frequently. This forced April to spend time in
the underground shelters, giving classmates
the time to bully her incessantly.

In 1953, after a suicide attempt, she was sent to
Ormskirk Hospital’s psychiatric unit for
treatment.
She endured a year of male hormones, sodium
pentothal injections , and shock therapy before
they finally released her from the hospital.
After George Jamieson tried to commit suicide
again...

In the 1950s 'he' dressing as a woman
and using the name April Ashley
and moved to Paris and found work at one of
the city’s most expensive night clubs...

At 25, 'he' had finally saved the £3,000 needed
for the operation that would change her life.
She said with ' The Telegraph'; I knew by then
that I would kill myself if I didn’t have it. So
when I had the money I wrote to Dr Borou and
he said, ‘Please come over when you want.’
When I saw him, he said, ‘Why would a
beautiful girl like you want to become a man?’ I
said, ‘No, no, Dr Borou – it’s the other way
round.’

On May 12th, 1960 she underwent seven-hours
of surgery and was quite literally born again.
Returning to London, she changed her name
to “April Ashley” and began a modeling career.
She beat out many other women to be
photographed in Vogue.
When she become an popular model after
someone sold her secret to the Sunday People,
the publication outed her as transgender in
1961...

In 1963, she married Arthur Corbett, who was
well-educated English aristocrat...
April Ashley has never stopped fighting to win equality for others like herself...

P.s  I hope this video - story will helps
to
raise awareness for social equality
and to communicate more easily
with
friends,
acquaintances and most of all the
hundreds of people
with gender problems
all over the world..
                Khatia Shiuka
                  UK - 2013

April Ashley's exhibition is in 'The Museum of Liverpool'
(From 27 September 2013 - 21 September 2014)
 (Exhibition presented by Homotopia)
 Short film; Her Secret Is Out, by K. S