This February is LGBTQ+ History Month, and the theme for this year's campaign is "Medicine: Under the Scope." Exploring the many and varied contributions to the NHS that this community makes, it also seeks to inspire and educate by exploring the lives of little known individuals, highlighting past and present issues and injustice, and looking to new innovations to tackle health inequalities in the future.
Historically, many LGBTQ people faced barriers, discrimination and shame over their sexuality or gender identity.But several were pioneers: confronting prejudice, creating new lives and leaving a rich legacy of celebrating inclusion and diversity.. Two such examples were Ewan and Sophia.
Sir Ewan Forbes, 19th Baron Sempill (1912-1991)
Born Elizabeth in 20th-century Aberdeenshire, Sir Ewan lived openly as a man and practiced medicine after studying here in Aberdeen. However, an inheritance dispute in the 1960s brought his re-registration of his birth certificate from female to male to light; and the subsequent legal proceedings threw his life into a harsh spotlight, and his story is only now being explored as the details were suppressed by the legal system.
Sophia Jex-Blake (1840-1912)
Sophia was the leader of the 'Edinburgh Seven': the first women to study for medical degrees in Edinburgh and across Europe. Following the Surgeon's Hall riots against them sitting exams in 1870, there was a groundswell of public support for the Seven. Sophia went on to found 2 new medical schools that admitted women; and she and her fellow students all practiced in various fields. Today, they've been honoured with posthumous MBChB degrees from Edinburgh.
Library staff are actively curating the LGBTQ+ History Month reading list to explore further cases of individuals, groups and society shaping new services and tackling the issues head-on. Additional information on getting involved and upcoming events can also be found on the LGBTQ+ History Month webpages.
Please let us know if you have any book reccommendations or comments via library@abdn.ac.uk.
