Random Things about Christine Jorgensen Went From WWII Vet To Bombshell As One Of US's First Transgender Celebrities (14 items)

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  (#5) Newspapers Turned Christine Into A Celebrity

  News of Christine's sex change hit the press in December 1952. Very quickly, Christine Jorgensen became a celebrity. Media reports tended to focus on Christine's physical presentation. Christine was called a "Blonde Bombshell" in one headline, and others quizzed her about whether she wanted to marry and have children.

  Journalists were waiting to pepper her with questions the moment her plane landed. 
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  (#13) Christine Insisted That Everyone Is Both Sexes

  As a transgender pioneer, Christine was a vocal advocate. In a 1958 interview, Christine insisted, "Everyone is both sexes in varying degrees. I am more of a woman than a man."

  To head off intrusive questions about her sex life, Christine also pointed out that an inability to have children did not affect her gender: 

  Of course I can never have children but this does not mean that I cannot have natural sexual intercourse - I am very much in the position right now of a woman who has a hysterectomy.
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  (#1) America's First Transgender Celebrity Existed Before the Term 'Transgender' 

  Christine Jorgensen made headlines in 1952 when she completed gender reassignment surgery in Denmark. Born in the Bronx and an Army veteran, Christine became a vocal advocate for the transgender community. She also pushed boundaries, challenging America's static notion of gender.

  In the 1950s, "transgender" wasn't a word. The term was not coined until 1971.
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  (#12) While Christine Enjoyed Celebrity, The Media Continued To Scrutinize Her

  Christine chose to monetize her celebrity. She put together a nightclub act, where she sang "I Enjoy Being a Girl." As Christine later explained, "I decided if they wanted to see me, they would have to pay for it."

  But Christine faced scrutiny for her femininity. The media criticized Christine's face, mannerisms, and dress to see if she "looked and sounded like a woman." They discussed whether her voice sounded mannish and approved of her blonde hair. 
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  (#7) Christine Never Felt Comfortable As A Boy

  Christine was born on May 30, 1926 as George Jorgensen Jr. Raised in the Bronx by her parents, George Jorgensen and Florence Davis Hansen Jorgensen, Christine led a typical middle-class life, but she felt different from other boys at a young age. 

  In her youth, Christine rejected traditionally masculine toys and clothes and felt envious of her sister Dorothy. Christine was described as a "frail, blond, introverted little boy who ran from fistfights and rough-and-tumble games."
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  (#9) A Magazine Gave Christine $20,000 To Tell Her Story

  In the media firestorm surrounding Christine Jorgensen, every publication wanted to tell her story. Finally, American Weekly magazine offered $20,000 for the exclusive story. Christine agreed. However, the media coverage wasn't always positive or welcome. Some questioned Christine's femininity because she did not want to become a mother.

  At the time, many believed the surgeries had given Christine the biological capacity to bear children, which led to scrutiny over her disinterest in motherhood.

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