Christine Jorgensen
| Christine Jorgensen | |
|---|---|
Jorgensen in 1954
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| Born |
May 30, 1926 The Bronx, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | May 3, 1989 (aged 62) San Clemente, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | actress, night club singer |
| Known for | pioneering sex reassignment |
Christine Jorgensen (May 30, 1926 – May 3, 1989) was an American trans woman who was the first person to become widely known in the United States for having sex reassignment surgery. Jorgensen grew up in the Bronx, New York City. Shortly after graduating from high school in 1945, she was drafted into the U.S. Army for World War II. After her service she attended several schools, worked, and around this time heard about sex reassignment surgery. She traveled to Europe and in Copenhagen, Denmark, obtained special permission to undergo a series of operations starting in 1951.
She returned to the United States in the early 1950s and her transformation was the subject of a New York Daily News front-page story. She became an instant celebrity, using the platform to advocate for transgender people and became known for her directness and polished wit. She also worked as an actress and nightclub entertainer and recorded several songs.
Christine Jorgensen was named George William Jorgensen Jr. at birth, the second child of carpenter and contractor George William Jorgensen Sr. and his wife Florence Davis Hansen. She grew up in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City, and later described herself as having been a "frail, blond, introverted little boy who ran from fistfights and rough-and-tumble games".
Jorgensen graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in 1945 and shortly afterward was drafted into the U.S. Army.
After being discharged from the army, Jorgensen attended Mohawk College in Utica, New York the Progressive School of Photography in New Haven, Connecticut and the Manhattan Medical and Dental Assistant School in New York City. She also worked briefly for Pathé News.
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Wikipedia