Axel, born Axel Lundahl-Madsen, and Eigil, born Eigil Eskildsen, inspired by the 1948 UN Declaration of Human Rights, together with friends, founded F-48 or Forbundet af 1948 (The Association of 1948), Denmark's first gay rights organization.

In 1985, F-48 became the Danish National Association of Gays and Lesbians (Landsforeningen for Bøsser og Lesbiske, Forbundet af 1948 or LBL).

In 1989, Denmark became the first nation to recognize registered partnerships for same-sex couples, nearly equal to opposite-sex marriage.

On 1 October 1989, the Axgils and 10 other Danish couples were married by Tom Ahlberg, deputy mayor of Copenhagen, in the city hall.

In 2013, Axel Axgil was named by Equality Forum as one of 31 icons of the LGBT History Month.