The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes

There are so many twists and turns in the tale that follows that it sometimes reads like a thriller … She’s a skilful storyteller, and her descriptions of the Scottish landscape are so vivid I wanted to leap on a train and gaze at “the falling sun” making the shadows of beech trees “a ladder of light” * Sunday Times *
Class, sex, money, perjury – the story of how Elisabeth became Sir Ewan has everything … Zoë Playdon tells a remarkable story here: part legal mystery, part courtroom drama, part family saga. It’s driven by class, sex and money and it contains one of the most audacious acts of perjury you’re ever likely to read about * The Times *
A landmark story of trans rights … A complex story compellingly told * Times Literary Supplement *
The case of Ewan Forbes was a landmark, and kudos to Playdon for unearthing it * Herald *
Zoë Playdon’s erudite, passionate [and] ultimately persuasive new book … encapsulates this reality by telling three stories at once … This account is contextualized by a rich and riveting social history of trans people’s rocky road to cultural acceptance in the West, from the early 20th century up to the current day * New York Times *
A revelation … Zoë Playdon has written a formidable book … Magnificently researched and told – Michael Cashman, author of ONE OF THEM
Zoë Playdon shines dazzling light on the case of an early trans pioneer, a man whose dignity and courage remain an inspiration to a new generation of trans people, and those that love us. Abundant with compassion, clarity, and meticulous research, Ms. Playdon ensures that Ewan Forbes’ case will remain hidden no more. Urgent, generous, and wise – Jennifer Finney Boylan, author of SHE’S NOT THERE and GOOD BOY
As a seasoned activist and skilled academic, Zoë Playdon provides us with an illuminating account of the trans struggle for justice, human rights and equality. Her lens is the secret case of Ewan Forbes, where a class-based legal system sought to preserve male primogeniture. This is a landmark work of history, law and social change – Baroness Helena Kennedy QC

Zoë Playdon is the Emeritus Professor of Medical Humanities at the University of London. She holds five degrees, including two doctorates. She is a former co-Chair of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Doctors and Dentists (GLADD) and, with Dr Lynne Jones MP, co-founded the Parliamentary Forum on Gender Identity in 1994, which continues to meet. Zoë has thirty years’ experience of front-line work in LGBTI human rights, including legal cases, where she has worked with many legal teams. The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes is her first book for a mainstream audience.

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