GenderLife Forum: The Information Exchange

Christine Jorgensen. It was 1967, I was 12, and I saw the paperback edition of her autobiography in the book rack at my neighborhood Lamston's (a 5 and 10 chain, sort of like Woolworth's, that used to exist in Manhattan). I stood there and read the whole thing, in a corner, hidden behind a column. (Because, of course, I wouldn't have had the courage to buy it in a million years.) I may have heard of her already, but this was certainly the first detailed information on any TS woman I'd ever seen. I still remember my heart pounding while I read it. And, after reading it, I at least had the glimmer of a realization that what I'd always wanted was actually possible. At least for her. Even though I didn't believe for many, many years to come that it was possible for me too.

The first *fictional* girl-who-was-once-a-boy-but-had-really-always-been-a-girl I ever read about was Ozma, in the Land of Oz. Which I read when I was 5, and which, for obvious reasons, was completely fascinating to me.

Donna

Fictional?

hmmm.

Had to be a Chalker novel -- that or I will fear no evil by Heinlien. NEither counts technically, but those kept me distracted for certain.

My first inkling of real women, trapped,, was Caroline Cossey ,, some boys were looking at her Playboy layout( or was it Penthouse) I couldn't believe that she was so beautiful.

But, it wasn't until a few years later when it really hit me, that this was me,,,, while reading a novel by Clive Cussler,,,, the temptress was TS ,,,, her name was Kirsten. It has stuck with me all of these sooooo many years. It is kind of funny,, I had never, ever entertained having anything else for my name. It was like I had absolutely no choice in the matter. LOL ,, Well at least I will be able to choose my middle name.

K.

OMG!!

Nuernburg was where I actually met a TS woman for the first time too. It was in the Paradies club near the train station. I became friends with a girl named Vicky from Belgium. I really looked up to her because she had been in the army as well. That was at a time where I was really trying to supress my true feelings.

Only takes a little effort to find a subject that has been covered before and respond to it.

For me it was Christine Jorgensen, but Wendy Carlos comes in,
in the top five. Though to know of her, you either had to have
been around back then, known your transhistory, or be a real
music fan, as she was pretty low key.

Wendy Carlos (born Walter Carlos, November 14, 1939) is an American
composer and electronic musician. Carlos is one of the first famous
performers of electronic music using synthesizers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Carlos

I have original copies of Switched On Bach and the Well Tempered Synthesizer, that my dad let me have.

Previously, I had purchased "Digital Moonscapes" by Wendy Carlos. I did not make the connection at the time...there was a little blurb about the prior two albums, which I knew my father had, but until I pulled them out, and read "Walter" did it ever dawn on me that Wendy was a transwoman...

I really liked the Playboy interview with her, which I found years later. It was one of the influences on my decision to transition...her candor especially, the way she made it seem normal for her to transition.

I know her privacy is precious to her, and I would never bother her myself, but if she ever gets a good "Instant Karma Messenger message" it may be from me.

I had heard of Christine Jorgenson but had never seen a picture.
First picture that I saw was in one of my Dad's men's magazines and it was Coccinelle (what a beauty!). Must have been about 10 at the time. After that, I got a copy of Jan Morris'book and read that. Then Renee Richards came along. After that, there was a whole slew of them that caught my attention. The first real live tranwoman that I ever saw was our beloved Calipernia! I caught her act more than once while she was performing in Nashville, Tn. I thought that she was beautiful then and she has gotten even more so as time has passed.
PatriciaD

I've already responded to this and linked to a cool Christine Jorgensen interview done by Nipsy Russell. Here's the link to that post:

http://www.genderlife.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/4408/page/1#Post4408

AND here is another interview done in 1967. I haven't listened to this one yet. . .
http://www.karenserenity.com/ChristineJorgensen2.htm

Greetings

This is my first post, so hello everyone. The first TS woman I ever heard of was Christine Jorgensen. I also had the chance to meet and talk with her when she was performing her one-woman show at the Pilgrim House in Provincetown, MA in 1982. I was just beginning my transition and it was like communicating with the Oracle. A truly gracious woman! My partner, who was performing on the same bill with her, and I watched the July 4th fireworks together. A zen experience! I was just thinking, that was 25 years ago. Just typing these lines brings me back to that experience. By the way, I transitioned 22 years ago and had my SRS in 1986. My life has been very rewarding since then.

blossom