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Obituaries

Thomas Rodrigo

THOMAS RODRIGO (17th May 1957 – 19th August 2023)

A personal message from Professor Dr Rainer Schulze (Professor (em) Modern European History, Department of History and Human Rights Centre, University of Essex) someone with whom we have worked closely on several LGBT+ History related projects over the years:

My partner and best friend for more than 25 years died on 19 August. I was privileged to be with him until his final breath. Every journey has to end at some point, but this journey ended much too early: we still had so many plans. I am incredibly sad, but at the same time also happy that Thomas’s battle against the cancer that devoured him is over.

Rainer Schulze

Jonathan Cooper

Acclaimed human rights lawyer, Jonathan Cooper, of Doughty Street Chambers, died suddenly and unexpectedly on Saturday 18 September. 
Responding to the tragic news, human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who knew and worked with Jonathan for decades, said: 
“I’m heartbroken by the sudden, unexpected death of esteemed human rights lawyer Jonathan Cooper. He did important and distinguished legal and lobbying work for LGBT+ rights in the UK and internationally for many decades. He helped countless activists and advised political parties, governments and campaign groups, as well as devising human rights training programmes. Only last week, he offered to explore a potential legal challenge to the draconian new anti-LGBT+ bill in Ghana.
“Jonathan showed kindness and support to everyone in need of legal help. He was a wonderful human being. I will miss him. I send my sincere condolences to his partner and loved ones.”
Read Jonathan’s profile on the Doughty Street chambers website:https://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/barristers/jonathan-cooper-obe

Terry Reed

Terry Reed OBE, JP, BA (Hons), MCSP, SRP, Grad. Dip. Phys.

On 20th June, 2021, Terry Reed finally lost her long battle with Cancer and we, GIRES, and the wider transgender community, lost one of their fiercest, and most able advocates.

Terry entered the field of gender advocacy in 1997, when she and her husband Bernard, helped their gender diverse daughter win a landmark sex discrimination case. They then established GIRES and have been active ever since. In particular, Terry has been a member of WPATH and has been instrumental in several positive changes to transgender health care best practise. Her grit and determination meant she never gave up on the causes close to her heart, or on life. She was still contributing actively, to the work of GIRES, to the very end.

Everyone who’s life she touched felt enriched by knowing her. She will leave a vacuum in our lives that can never be filled. Our thoughts turn to Bernard, her loving husband and to her surviving family, in this time of their great loss, but Terry will live for ever in our memories, where she will be held with love, respect and gratitude.

Cat Burton
GIRES Chair

Ags Irwin

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Ivy Bottini

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Maureen Colquhoun MP

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