| Birth: | May 30, 1926
Bronx
Bronx County
New York, USA | | Death: | May 3, 1989
San Clemente
Orange County
California, USA | 
Medical Pioneer, Social Reform Figure. She was a transsexual who made history as the first American man to be surgically changed to a woman. Born George William Jorgensen, Jr., he graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in Bronx, New York in May 1945, and shortly afterwards, was drafted into the United States Army for two years service. After leaving the Army, he began researching information on sexual imbalances, and soon discovered that he could have a sex change operation in Scandinavia. In 1950, he secretly flew to Denmark, where he began the operations to change him into a woman. Two years later, he finally broke the news to his parents, writing "Nature made a mistake, which I have corrected, and I am now your daughter." She returned to New York City as Christine Jorgensen, on February 12, 1953, and received monumental coverage by the American Press. For a while she went on the lecture circuit, explaining transsexuality and trying to get the public to accept her. She made her living as a photographer, although her celebrity status made her rich, and she accepted many offers to go on the lecture circuit and make guest appearances on television. Despite living under the magnifying glass of the press, she kept her humor and tried to live the normal life of a woman. In 1967, she published her autobiography, "Christine Jorgensen: A Personal Autobiography." She died of bladder and lung cancer in 1989. Although she never married, she was engaged twice, once stating in an interview "I have been engaged twice and I've been deeply in love twice. I was never engaged to the men I was in love with, and I was never in love with the men I was engaged to." When she passed away, she was cremated, and her ashes scattered off Dana Point, California on June 9, 1989 by her two nieces and two of her closest friends, Stanton Bahr and Brenda Lana Smith. (bio by: Kit and Morgan Benson)
Cause of death: Bladder cancer
Search Amazon for Christine Jorgensen | | | Burial:
Cremated, Ashes scattered at sea.
Specifically: Ashes scattered in the Pacific Ocean |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Jan 25, 2000
Find A Grave Memorial# 8316 |
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Added by:
Ron Moody
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Added by:
Ron Moody
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"This year, when I count my blessings, I'm thanking the Lord He made you." (Johnny Cash)
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Kate Duvall
Added: Nov. 26, 2009 |
BELATED blessings to you for Transgender Rememberance Day on November 20th. Have another perfect day in the Lord's Kingdom.
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purple-lady
Added: Nov. 25, 2009 |
Blessed Be
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Suze
Added: Nov. 20, 2009 |
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(4.2 after 78 votes)