Christine Jorgensen - Definition and Overview

Christine Jorgensen (May 30, 1926 - May 3, 1989), born George Jorgensen, Jr., is famous for being one of the first people to have sex reassignment surgery - in this case being male to female.

A media sensation was created on December 1, 1952 when the New York Daily News carried a front page story (under the headline "Ex-GI Becomes Blond Bombshell") announcing that in Denmark Jorgensen became the recipient of the first successful sex reassignment surgery. Though she was, by far, not the first (genital reassignment surgery has been performed since 1930), she became a willing spokesperson for transsexual and transgendered people. Christine died of cancer at age 62.

She is referred to in the 1994 movie Ed Wood (movie).

Christine Jorgensen once appeared on the Dick Cavett talk show. He insulted her by asking about the status of her romantic life with her "wife" and she walked off the show! Since she was the only guest scheduled, Cavett spent the rest of that show talking about how he had not meant to offend her.

See also: List of transgendered people, List of transgender-related topics