A brief history of involvement of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people in medicine and healthcare through the ages

LGBTQ+ History Month is celebrated every February. In the UK, LGBTQ+ History Month is timed to coincide with the abolition of Section 28 in 2003, which prohibited the “promotion” of homosexuality. The theme of LGBTQ+ History Month this year is ‘medicine under the scope’. The 2024 theme celebrates LGBT+ peoples’ contribution to the field of Medicine and Healthcare both historically and today. Here we take a look at the some of the important UK milestones and people that have led to a more inclusive healthcare service.

The early twentieth century

• 1906 –  Dr Louisa Martindale sets up a private practice in Brighton and becomes the first woman GP in the UK. Dr Louisa Martindale championed the cause of medical education for women. She worked as a surgeon during two world wars, and was a world-renowned gynaecologist. Martindale never married and lived for more than three decades with her female partner, Ismay FitzGerald.

The mid-twentieth century 

• 1952 – Roberta Cowell is the first known UK trans person to undergo gender confirmation surgery.The operation is performed by Sir Harold Gillies, a plastic surgeon.
• 1955 – the first meeting of the Wolfenden Committee to discuss the potential decriminalisation of homosexuality. The committee takes its name from the committee leader John Wolfenden. Ophthalmic surgeon Patrick Trevor-Roper is one of only three gay men who give evidence to the committee that homosexuality is not a physical or mental illness.

Late twentieth century

• 1986 – The global scientific community recognises HIV as the virus that causes AIDS.
• 1989 – Stonewall is founded. The original founders were a group of people involved in protest against Section 28 of the Local Government Act. To this day they continue to help to create transformative change in the lives of LGBTQ+ people across communities in the UK.
• 1990 – the setting up of the Gender Trust. The Gender Trust is a United Kingdom charitable organisation promoting public education about transgender and gender identity issues and providing information to those affected.
• 1992 – Homosexuality is removed from the WHO’s list of mental disorders.
• 1993 – The Government removes homosexuality from its list of psychiatric disorders in England and Wales. The Scottish government removes it in 2000.
• 1995 – The Gay and Lesbian Association of Doctors and Dentists is founded. They provide support, information and social opportunities to gay and lesbians in the medical professions.
• 1999 – The UK Sex Discrimination Act is amended to include protections on the basis of Gender Reassignment, by means of the Sex Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations.

Twenty-first century

• 2002 – same-sex couples are able to adopt or foster children in England.
• 2013 – The first UK trans Pride is held in Brighton.
• 2018 – The UK Government Equalities Office publishes the National LGBT Survey. This is the largest survey of LGBTQ+ people in the world to date.
• 2019 – Trans is declassified as a mental illness by the WHO.
• 2019 – The first National Adviser for LGBTQ+ Health in the NHS is appointed by UK government.
• LGBT Foundation and NHS England launches ‘If We’re Not Counted, We Don’t Count’ to help health and social care services ask about sexual orientation and trans status.

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