I don't quite know how to describe this book.

A hopeful story of a trans man getting to live his life in peace, until a petty jealous cousin he never knew appears at his brothers funeral?

A precise laying out and excoriating take down of the bigotry and non-medicine used to evaporate the rights of trans people?

Both? I'll go with both. This is a powerful, sobering, angering, enlightening read. This book is going to cause a lot of noise very shortly. About damn time.

What better book to read for non-fiction November? This is an important book that takes us through the life of Ewan Forbes, born into a wealthy family (with contacts with the Queen!) and who was taken to court for issues with him inheriting the baronetcy (which could only be passed to male heirs) in the 1960s. This case was hidden (that's how powerful his family were) and recently re-discovered.

More importantly, we also hear about trans experiences in the UK and elsewhere over the course of Ewan's life. We learn about the treatments that were available at the time (mostly for rich people who could afford to travel (sigh)) and how trans people were considered. The book ends with current events (there's even mention to coronavirus and Brexit) and what Ewan's legacy is nowadays.

I really enjoyed the book, and I think many people should read it.

Why not 5 stars?
- There was a lot of repetition, especially in the first half. And there were occasions where the author delved into stories that I don't think were particularly needed for the book (particularly in the first half).
- I was annoyed by the author's speculation about how much Ewan would know about other events that were going on and his reaction to them. They're clearly marked in the book, but still, I don't know that this was necessary, as knowing/not knowing of certain events going on elsewhere didn't seem to affect his actions.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

This is the first book by LGBT+ activist and human rights specialist and Emeritus Professor of Medical Humanities at University of London Zoe Playdon. This is an author with an impressive CV and this book comes out of a five year research project which she only had the time to begin after retirement.
It’s both a simple story of basic human rights and an incredibly complex web of legal ramifications which attempts to put into context society’s treatment of individuals who do not belong in the gender to which they were assigned at birth and tracks how much of society’s response to trans people has developed from a court case from 1968, the details of which were hidden from the public. The author states;
“Most people are unaware that until the late 1960s trans people lived in complete legal equality with everyone else. Ewan was the reason that changed.”
Ewan Forbes Semphill was an unassuming figure to have caused such a seismic shift in attitudes. A religious man, born in 1912, a gifted and popular local doctor in the small Scottish community where he lived, he liked dancing and was happily married. Ewan, however, was born the Hon. Elizabeth Forbes-Semphill, a member of one of Scotland’s distinguished families and whose father had the dual titles of a baronetcy and a barony (he was the 8th Baronet Forbes of Craigievar and the 17th Lord Semphill).
The child became known as Benjie and had a very outdoorsy existence made miserable when forced to don dresses and pose as the “Hon. Elizabeth”. With money, prestige and a supportive mother came the opportunity to tour Europe and receive revolutionary new treatments and Benjie became Ewan. His gender was reassigned and an action which would surprise many who battled in later decades to achieve this, his birth certificate was changed without that much fuss.
Ewan slipped easily into the life he wanted to follow and that might have been it if the concept of primogeniture did not raise its ugly head. With titles succeeding along the male line Ewan’s right to succession was challenged by a cousin he had barely met who forced a court-case to get Ewan to prove he was male who had been wrongly assigned to a female gender at birth.
It is an extraordinary tale of a man who just wanted to get on with his life but became inevitably and continually swept up in developments even though he lived largely under the radar. I found this clash of the simplicity of Ewan’s life as a Highlands doctor against the whole maelstrom of long-lasting legal ramifications not easy to read. There were so many big issues going on here that I found it hard occasionally to maintain focus in this format. Perhaps it was too ambitious to condense a five year research project into one book for the general reader who may be grappling with these concepts of gender and sexual identity for the first time. It is a demanding work but at the heart of it is this one man who probably never saw his life as extraordinary.
The actual tale of Ewan Forbes I loved. His hidden case did have me lost at times but the author does bring it back to contemplate the legacy of the case and the gap that still exists in terms of trans rights and the ongoing threats to the existence of trans men and women. This is some hope with greater acceptance, and strong following and support for a new wave of activists as well as Joe Biden’s pledge to improve matters in the US, following shocking policies from the Trump administration as well as the gradual removal of long-lasting practices which contravened basic human rights, in both US, UK and world-wide, even in places we might consider “enlightened”.
I do think just a little tweaking would have made this work a little more accessible and would have got it the wider audience it deserves but it is a sobering, thought-provoking and at times quite extraordinary read.
The Hidden Case Of Ewan Forbes was published by Bloomsbury on 11th November 2021. Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance review copy.

"Most people are unaware that until the late 1960s trans people lived in complete legal equality with everyone else. Ewan was the reason that changed, and since his life spanned nearly the entirety of the twentieth century, it gives us a glimpse into almost a hundred years of trans history"

What a fascinating recollection of events, made all the more remarkable and unsettling given that everything is true. Ewan Forbes, registered female at birth, was legally recognised as male later in life. However, due to his family's status, he was subjected to what could be considered barbaric legal steps to retain recognition that he was male, keep his family title that was rightfully his and effectively sacrifice his privacy. As a result of a court wholly against him, he unfortunately perjured and consequently, legal trans cases, especially in England, were met with even more vitriol than before and sadly it seems legal rights are still an ongoing battle.

A truly incredible read, I don't believe we hear enough about the trans experience of the past, including in the hands of Nazi's and reflecting on past legal cases that under modern day law, would need to be redone. I grew up aware of the April Ashley case, yet reading the details and minutiae, especially understanding the timeline of events that linked her case to Ewan's - one that was seen to make a mockery of the law - left me casting totally fresh eyes on everything I had heard from the media.

I think ultimately, the story places a strong light on the link between status and inequality in the UK, still prevalent today. Ewan did not deserve to be mistreated, but that he could get away with perjury and later have his case sealed privately purely based on his family's connections and affluent background, effectively dooming trans citizens for years to come, is a direct reflection of how far we still have to go. That two people - Ewan and Ashley - could ultimately undergo similar court cases with such wildly different results, strengthened by their social standing, leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

The book is absolutely necessary reading, with fantastic case studies, clear time lines and great current and up to date explanations of where trans rights rest today. Really understanding the background of illegality attributed to being trans, combined with recognising Freud as a legitimate sexologist (lol no), highlights so many of the misconceptions we still see today.

Bravo,

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Readable account of hidden history, long suppressed welfare told of a trans Male medical doctor in relatively recent times c.. history backing up his decisions both legally and physically .. his legal case is center point .. he'd legally b changed his birth certificate from ngfemale to male when he could do so .. but press and insurance problems etc plagued him and a legal case went sour and in fact it was hidden. An utterly compelling and informative read ...

Short one-line summary: This book is fascinating, eye-opening, and thought-provoking, GO AND READ IT!

This book is really two-in-one: first, a biography of a Scottish aristocrat, and second, an examination of the legal and social changes to the way our society has treated transgender people in the past century. Not only are both of these done extremely well, but they feed into one another.

📚Read this and other reviews on my blog!

Ewan Forbes is – until now, at least – a relatively unknown figure. He lived a quiet life in Scotland with his wife, spending his days first as the local doctor and then as the laird when he unexpectedly inherited the title of baronet thanks to male primogeniture* in 1965. Waiting in the wings, though, was his cousin, who took Ewan to court over the inheritance. The cousin argued that as Ewan was assigned female at birth he shouldn’t be able to inherit, despite his amended birth certificate. The court actually ruled in Ewan’s favour, but kept the decision a secret until it was unearthed after his death.

Playdon argues that the question raised in Ewan’s case marked a turning point in attitudes towards trans people in the UK. While the court ruled in Ewan’s favour, Playdon theorises that the repercussions that decision could have on the British establishment were seen as not being worth the risk. She examines how social, political and medical attitudes towards the trans community have changed over the past century – the majority of which overlaps with Ewan’s lifetime – with extraordinary depth, knowledge, and understanding. She lays bare so much of the transphobic rhetoric thrown around today, exposing its roots, and drawing attention to how this affects the mindset of even the most liberal allies to the trans community.

‘Hidden case’ is a truly apt title for a hidden history that it is vital we all understand. As Ewan’s story so clearly demonstrates, the rights of trans people – and, by extension, any marginalised group – can be easily written away, and it is vital we don’t let that happen again.

*A system of inheritance in which titles automatically get passed down the male line, whether or not the recipient wants it, regardless of how many daughters have been born. If this didn’t already sound like a bad enough idea, these titles usually come with land, money, and actual real political power. But that’s for another day.

I received a free copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

I was interested to read this book as there seem to be such heated discussions at present about gender, and I wanted to read what I hoped would be a more measured and historical discussion of the various issues so that I could understand them better.
The author certainly didn't let me down, and it was fascinating, and horrifying, to read of a landmark legal case that was "disappeared" by powerful people. Following the life of Ewan Forbes helped to demonstrate the effect of discrimination at a more personal level.
I feel more informed now for which I thank the author, my only negative comment being that at times I did feel a bit overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information and difficult to remember all the different terminology, as language is so important in gender issues.
I hope it will be read by many more people.
Thank you to netgalley and Bloomsbury publishing for an advance copy of this book

This is a very well researched and carefully analysed overview of the historic progress of trans people’s attempts to gain equal recognition. Based around the particular case of Scottish aristocrat Ewan Forbes who was registered at birth as a woman but wanted to be male it draws on many other deplorable experiences inflicted on trans persons. His story is a good central theme for comparison. The issues have never been fully resolved and discrimination and legal uncertainty compound the issues. This is not likely to be a popular read but it is an important contribution to the debate.

I was fascinated by this book when I read about it on Netgalley. A long-forgotten court case which had a huge impact on the lives of trans people sounded like an unmissable read and I wasn't wrong.
Ewan Forbes had been brought up as a girl in the early twentieth century aristocracy in Scotland even though their sex at birth was ambiguous. His mother was ahead of her time and took Ewan to Europe to obtain hormone treatment.
This would have been it had not the arcane laws of primogeniture come into play in his family.
What follows is a heart-rending account of the treatment of trans men and women as mentally ill people. All started by a secretive court case involving Ewan Forbes. The reverberations of which lasted into the present day.
A must read book for anyone bothered about human rights and equality, it is written in a way that is accessible to the lay reader as well as academics.

The ‘Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes is a history of both an individual transman, but also the way in which life for transgender people has changed in the UK. The story follows Ewan Forbes from childhood, through to a court case in the 1960s that contributed to a change in the way that British law and the medical system supported transgender people. The author came across the case while researching for case law and history to support a challenge to the way in which British law currently allows transgender people to access the appropriate documentation to prove their identity comma. The history also focuses on the changing way in which Britain has responded to transgender people and the way in which the medical profession has moved from supporting people with endocrinology to pathologizing people with psychiatry. This is an excellent history book.

This book is about the basic civil liberties for transgender people that evaporated in the late 1960’s when the law requires compliance with the gender stated on birth certificates. This injustice is linked to the suppressed and hidden case of Sir Ewan Forbes which combined with the divorce case of transgender April Ashley (Corbett versus Corbett) has a profound effect on transgender rights for fifty years. The case is hidden because of the law of primogeniture which means that only males can inherit lands, titles etc. and is suppressed to ensure this law remains intact. It’s is therefore not just important to the transgender community but to everyone. So, who is Sir Ewan Forbes? He was born in 1912 and registered at birth as female and named Elisabeth, however, he always identified as male and as far as he was concerned he was Ewan. He had the support of his mother and elder brother in particular. He was probably intersex and not transgender but that’s not the main issue. In 1952 his birth certificate was changed to male, he married and it all came to a head in 1965 when his elder brother William died and bequeathed the not inconsiderable Scottish estates and all that entailed to his cousin John. Ewan challenged it in court to great personal cost and won. This judgement was then suppressed and it disappeared from view and it’s only with persistence that it came to light. The whole case is fascinating, Ewan and his family are extremely interesting and I found the whole family story engrossing and the best parts of the book. The author does a very good job in explaining how significant the case is to the transgender community.

Ewan’s story is firmly set in its historical context including looking at countries where there is persecution such as in Nazi Germany and also includes ‘treatments’ to cure what is seen as ‘abhorrent’, changes in the law are explained as are medical ethics. Particularly interesting is how the LGBTQIA community has been represented in film and literature and how views began to change. Other cases are included which is also a very interesting part of the book especially Lili Elbe (The Danish Girl portrayed by Eddie Redmayne) and April Ashley. It documents the fight for legal recognition, activism and pockets of resistance.

Overall, this is a book I’m very glad I read. I knew nothing about this case as most people wouldn’t but it’s suppression is of vital importance because of the subsequent injustice. This is an important book not only for the LGBTQIA community, anyone interested in the law but also anyone who just wants to understand the situation better. It’s extremely good on Ewan’s case, on cultural attitudes and is very revealing in places. At times the depth can be a bit exhausting but I fully recognise that’s what gives the book it’s power and strength.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bloomsbury Publishing PLC for the arc in return for an honest review.

This book is weird. It starts with an utterly improbable - but completely true - premise; what if there was a secret court case which set back the cause of trans rights for half a century?

And, yet, that's where we are. Complex and secretive bureaucracies fighting against open publication. The open data nerd in me was thrilled and appalled.

The book is a meticulous exploration of the trans* experience during the last century. As well as a detailed journey through Ewan's life, it expertly explains the context of what he - and others - were going through.

It is thoroughly sympathetic to Ewan's plight. Nevertheless, I found there to be something a bit ghoulish about an unauthorised biography of someone who wanted aspects of their life kept private. There's a fair bit of "We don't know how Ewan felt about this, but..." which is a problem with every unauthorised biography. But it never puts words in his mouth - and always contextualises the likelihood of his possible response.

The story, ironically, is one of intense privilege. Ewan and his family were literal nobility. With money and connections, he was able to access a level of healthcare which is unthinkable even to this day. Dining with royalty and being seen by the Queen's surgeon buys access to a level of "respectability" that is out of reach for the majority of people.

Ewan's story dominates the book - but not to the exclusion of others. It pulls in the stories and court cases of contemporary people - mostly from the UK, with some occasional forays into the EU, US, and Australia. It's brilliant to see a book so passionately explore the UK's attitude to trans rights. Too often these books are only viewed through a US lens. This is clearly focussed on the UK - Scotland in particular - and the implications it has for our country.

At its heart is the surprising revelation that there's a constitutional crisis born out of the inherent hetrosexism of primogeniture. The make-believe idea that artificially constructed titles must be passed down the male line. If not, our country and culture will collapse. Without a workable definition of male and female, and the acknowledgement that recording of natal sex isn't immutable, the whole edifice quickly crumbles.

The end of the book left me upset. How can we still be fighting these battles? Why are waiting times so long? What drives the gutter press to such depths of depravity?

It is an excellent biography - not just of a man, but of a country and of a culture.

An important and timely book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy. The book is released later this year .

The ‘Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes is a history of both an individual transman, but also the way in which life for transgender people has changed in the UK. The story follows the aristocratic Forbes from childhood, where I suspect the author has had to fill in a few blanks comma through to a court case in the 1960s that contributed to a change in the way that British law and the medical system supported transgender people.
The author came across the case while researching for case law and history to support a challenge to the way in which British law currently allows transgender people to access the appropriate documentation to prove their identity comma and was for a long time hidden from both the LGBTQIAA+ community and the legal profession. The history also focuses on the changing way in which Britain has responded to transgender people and the way in which the medical profession has moved from supporting people with endocrinology to pathologizing people with psychiatry.
This is an excellent history that looks at the relationship between medical ethics and the law and would make good reading for not only those interested in LGBTQIAA+ history but also no those interested in the law and the impacts that medical ethics have on real people's lives.