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Christine Jorgensen began gender reassignment surgery in Copenhagen on 24th September 1951. The New York Daily News later heralded the event with a headline splash - \u201cEx-GI Becomes Blonde Beauty!\u201d - thereby creating America's first transgender celebrity.\nWriting to friends, she said: \u201cAs you can see by the enclosed photos, taken just before the operation, I have changed a great deal. But it is the other changes that are so much more important. Remember the shy, miserable person who left America? Well, that person is no more and, as you can see, I\u2019m in marvellous spirits.\u201d\nIn this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider how surprisingly tolerant her parents and much of the media were; how she was strong-armed into showbiz but used the notoriety to campaign for trans rights; and reveal that - amongst her many memoirs - she also penned a Scandinavian cookbook...\nFurther Reading:\n\u2022 \u2018Christine Jorgensen \u2013 Queer Icon\u2019 (Queer Icons, 2020): https://queericons.home.blog/2020/02/27/christine-jorgensen/\n\u2022 \u2018The Hour Magazine with Gary Collins: guest Christine Jorgensen\u2019 (1980s): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDlGUeF1Bg0\n\u2022 \u2018Dec. 1, 1952: Ex-GI Becomes Blonde Beauty\u2019 (WIRED, 2010): https://www.wired.com/2010/12/1201first-sex-change-surgery/\nFor bonus material and to support the show, visit\xa0Patreon.com/Retrospectors\nWe'll be back on Monday! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts:\xa0podfollow.com/Retrospectors\nThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.\nTheme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham.\nCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2021.\n#50s #Trans #Science #Denmark #US\n Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices