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April Ashley was born in Liverpool in 1935 as George Jamieson and grew up praying that each morning she would wake up a girl.Ìý In 1960 she became one of the first people in the world to undergo pioneering gender reassignment surgery. April’s life has often been in the headlines; a former Vogue model and actress she was ‘outed’ as transsexual by the Sunday People in 1961. Her divorce from The Honourable Arthur Corbett set a legal precedent for all transsexuals. ThisÌýremained until 2004 when the Gender Recognition Act was passed to legally allow people to change gender. She’s been a campaigner for transgender equality and is still an inspiration to many people. Sheila McClennon went to meet April at the Museum of Liverpool at the opening of an exhibition which charts April’s life alongside the lives of others from the trans and gender communities.

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April Ashley: Portrait of a lady runs from 27 September 2013 to 21 September 2014. It is a collaborative project between the andÌý

Dropping off children for their first term at university is a rite of passage for them but also for their parents. The University of Sheffield has this summer opened Ìýa boutique hotel next to its student halls of residence Ìýspecifically targeted atÌý those parents wanting to be as near as possible to their offspring whenever they visit. Are today’s parents worse at letting go, and Ìýhow much parental distance is best? Sheila talks to Wendy Holden, author of ‘Gifted & Talented’ and to business owner and father of three, Stephen Falder.

Kym Worthy, the Prosecutor for Wayne County in Detroit, Michigan, is on a mission to investigate over 11,000 rape cases – some of which have been ignored for over 20 years. In 2009, whilst doing a routine audit of police property, Kym’s staff discovered thousands of unchecked and apparently disregarded rape kits containing forensic evidence that had seemingly never been properly reviewed. The Institute of Justice awarded Kym a $1.5 million grant to look in to every case, and she is now determined to change the way that the American justice system treats rape victims. She joins Sheila to explain how the campaign is going.

Congenital heart defects areÌýthe most common birth defect affecting up to six thousandÌýbabiesÌý each year. Currently,Ìýbabies hearts are checkedÌýviaÌýultrasoundÌýat 20 weeks in the womb and again, within 72 hours of birth usingÌýphysicalÌýexamination.ÌýDespite this, at least a third of babies with undetected congenital heart defectsÌýare still leaving hospital. Campaigners are calling for pulse oximetry, an additional test, to be made compulsory for all new borns and the has nowÌý launched a public consultation to look further into Ìýextra screening. To evaluate the relative benefits,ÌýSheila talks to Kirsty Patience about her experience whenÌýher son was born with half a heart and also toÌýneonatologist Dr Andy Ewer.

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In September reported on the conviction ofÌýfour men whoÌýrapedÌýand murdered a 23 year oldÌýstudent on board a bus in New Delhi. A number of Indian cities have responded to the Delhi bus rape by creating women-only areas; Ìýin parks, streets, public buildings and on transport.Ìý In a country where reported sexual violence is increasing are women-only spaces a welcome refuge from unwanted male attention or a step backwards to segregation? To discuss the issues Sheila is joined by , journalist & author of ‘Around India in 80 Trains’Ìý and by Veena Nayyar, President ofin Delhi.