Christine Jorgensen
First American widely known for gender affirmation surgery (1926-1989) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Christine Jorgensen (May 30, 1926 – May 3, 1989) was an American actress, singer, recording artist, and transgender activist. A trans woman, she was the first person to become widely known in the United States for having sex reassignment surgery.
This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. (December 2022) |
Christine Jorgensen | |
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Born | (1926-05-30)May 30, 1926 The Bronx, New York, U.S. |
Died | May 3, 1989(1989-05-03) (aged 62) San Clemente, California, U.S. |
Education | Mohawk Valley Community College,[1] The Progressive School of Photography,[2] Manhattan Medical and Dental Assistant School[3] |
Occupation(s) | Actress, night club singer, recording artist |
Known for | Pioneering gender reassignment |
Signature | |
In 1945, Jorgensen was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II. After she served as a military clerical worker, Jorgensen attended several schools, worked, and pursued a photography career.[4] During this time, she learned about sex reassignment surgery and traveled to Europe, where in Copenhagen, Denmark, she obtained special permission to undergo a series of operations beginning in 1952.[5]
Upon her return to the United States in the early 1950s, her transition was the subject of a New York Daily News front-page story. She became an instant celebrity, known for her directness and polished wit, and used the platform to advocate for transgender people.
Her 1967 autobiography Christine Jorgensen: A Personal Autobiography sold almost 450,000 copies.[6] Throughout her career, she gave lectures at colleges at university[7] on the topics of transsexuality,[8] though she would later disassociate with the term "transsexual" and prefer the term transgender.[7]