Trans+ History Week: The incredible life of war pilot Roberta Cowell

Roberta Cowell led an extraordinary life as a WWII fighter pilot and competitive racing driver, and was the first known trans woman in the UK to undergo gender-affirming surgery.

Cowell, also known as “Betty”, had arguably one of the most remarkable existences of the 20th century and paved the way for generations of trans people.

She was a racing driver, a Spitfire pilot, a prisoner of war and a trans history maker. Cowell attracted intense media attention in the 1950s when news broke that she was among the first in the world, certainly the first in Britain, to undergo gender-affirmation surgery. 

Yet, interest in her story faded over time, and Cowell’s legacy was mostly forgotten until she died in 2011 and news outlets reminded the world

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