Roberta Cowell: Racing driver, fighter pilot, and complex trans pioneer

Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys

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Roberta Cowell: Racing driver, fighter pilot, and complex trans pioneer

Elizabeth Blackstock

Jul 25, 2024

The motorsport world is full of fantastic and particular experiences, but there is one driver's life story that has always particularly fascinated me — that of Roberta Cowell.

See, Cowell was a fighter pilot, a prisoner of war, and a racing driver, which alone would have been enough to build up an impressive resumé. However, she was also the first documented person to receive gender affirming surgery in the United Kingdom, making her the first known trans woman to compete in motorsport. Today, we're discussing her life and her experiences in an era where her mere existence was criminalized.

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Episode Bibliography:

Roberta Cowell's Story: An Autobiography by Roberta Cowell

Roberta Cowell by Queer as Fact https://open.spotify.com/episode/0uz4EG1xkR1VFsrPXmmDAf?si=be4060a1bf7a4158

https://www.lizhodgkinson.com/journalismArticle/interview_with_transsexual_roberta_betty_cowell