Julia Grant, who was the first ever trans woman in Britain to have her transition recorded for television, has died, aged 64.

Grant transition was charted in the BBC documentary, A Change of Sex, which aired in 1979.

Tributes for LGBTI campaigner

Tributes have poured in for Grant, who was from Manchester and was an active force in the LGBTI world.

Gay rights campaigner and Manchester Liberal Democrat Leader John Leech responded:

‘I’m really sad to hear the news that Julia Grant has passed away. She was rightfully looked up to by many as a leader in the LGBTQ+ community, in particular here in Manchester, but also across the country.’

‘Throughout her life, she took on issues that others couldn’t quite bring themselves to and, in the process, changed the course of thousands of people’s lives.

‘Even as recently as last year, I know she was just as angry as I am about the overdevelopment and destruction of heritage and history in our Gay Village.’

‘RIP Julia’

Helen Belcher, trans campaigner, wrote on Twitter:

‘I hear Julia Grant has passed away. Julia was the focus of the 1979 BBC mini-series A Change of Sex – programmes that stayed with me for years, partly because it became obvious to me that “being trans” was (at the time) repellant to those around me.

‘One of the key moments in the series was John Randall, then head of Charing Cross GIC, grilling Julia about how on earth she could be a woman. How did she know? And that question also stayed with me for years, delaying my own transition.

‘The voiceover also kept saying things like “Julia knows she is a woman”, which also caused me questions. When I eventually met Julia a few years ago, I asked her about this. “I never said that” was her response.

‘And there, rolled up into one short scenario, is how the media and medics have treated trans people for years, I do see some improvement since then. But very sad to see yet another person influential in my past move on from this life. RIP Julia.’

I hear Julia Grant has passed away. Julia was the focus of the 1979 BBC mini-series A Change of Sex – programmes that stayed with me for years, partly because it became obvious to me that “being trans” was (at the time) repellant to those around me. 1/n — Helen Belcher (@HelenCBelcher) January 2, 2019

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