Christine Jorgensen

Not to be confused with landscape artist Chris Jorgensen.

Christine Jorgensen
Christine Jorgensen in 1954
Born
George William Jorgensen Jr.

(1926-05-30)May 30, 1926
The Bronx, New York, U.S.
DiedMay 3, 1989(1989-05-03) (aged 62)
San Clemente, California, U.S.
EducationMohawk 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 forPioneering gender reassignment
Signature

Christine Jorgensen (May 30, 1926 – May 3, 1989), born George William Jorgensen Jr.,[4] 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.

In 1944, Jorgensen was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II.[5] After she served as a military clerical worker, Jorgensen attended several schools, worked, and pursued a photography career.[6] 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.[7]

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.[8] Throughout her career, she gave lectures at colleges at university[9] on the topics of transsexuality,[10] though she would later disassociate with the term "transsexual" and prefer the term transgender.[9]

  1. ^ Docter 2013, p. 57.
  2. ^ Docter 2013, p. 59.
  3. ^ Docter 2013, p. 67.
  4. ^ Hartley-Kong, Alli (June 22, 2022). "LGBTQ+ History: Christine Jorgensen's Life of Fame and Femininity | Minerva's Kaleidoscope". The Library of Congress. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  5. ^ Behrens, Thorkild (May 1952). "What made Christine Jorgensen do it?". Scope Magazine. Vol. 1, no. 4. pp. 19–20.
  6. ^ Boomer, Lee. "Life Story: Christine Jorgensen". Women & the American Story. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  7. ^ "21 Transgender People Who Influenced American Culture". Time. May 29, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference meyerowitz was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b "Christine Jorgensen Has No Regrets". Daily Gleaner. December 21, 1985. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).