History describes the past, informs the present, and shapes the future. In this final episode, we focus on the impact of GIRES, its future, and the future of trans activism more broadly. Hope and optimism, fear and pessimism punctuate the interviews, sometimes in the same breath. Contributors reflected on GIRES’ history through the lens of the present, with the current backlash against trans rights in the UK and elsewhere influencing how individuals told their stories. Reflections were also mediated by another factor: the change in GIRES itself as Terry’s passing and Bernard’s decreased involvement redefine GIRES as a charity.

These intersections of key moments of change mark the A Legacy of Kindness project as an account of progress, and, perhaps, a manifesto for the future.

When asked what the legacy of the charity was, co-founder Terry Reed responded that she hoped the legacy was one of kindness. Terry sadly passed away in 2021, but her memory lives on in the connections formed throughout her decades of activism. Bernard Reed remains involved as a trustee with GIRES, watching the charity evolve. Throughout the interviews, compassion, community, and care consistently shone through. This episode aims to capture this atmosphere: that legacy of kindness.

This episode explores the political work done by GIRES throughout its history.

Niki Reed’s employment tribunal case against Chessington World of Adventures in 1997 was a significant court case for trans rights, but it was not the first. In 1996, the landmark case of P vs S and Cornwall County Council was tried in the European Court of Justice.These employment discrimination cases laid the groundwork for future trans justice. The nineties also saw the movement towards trans-inclusive policy. Lynne Jones MP and Dr Jane Playdon established the Parliamentary Forum on Transsexualism in 1994, which Terry Reed became involved in soon after meeting Jones. The name later changed to the Parliamentary Forum on Gender Identity, reflecting the changing language of trans at the time. These end-of-century developments created space for the work of charities like GIRES, and paved the way for the 2004 Gender Recognition Act. However, this episode makes clear the extent of progress in trans rights ebbs and flows.