<
https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-i-hope-eventually-to-become-a-woman-trans-life-in-australia-from-the-1940s-to-1970s-212775>
"In December 1952, former American GI Christine Jorgensen made global news
after undergoing gender affirmation surgery in Copenhagen. Australian
newspapers showed great interest, with headlines like “Man Converted to Woman
by Danish Doctors”, “Man Becomes Woman and ‘She Is Glad’”, and “‘Converted’
Girl Hopes to Marry”.
Jorgensen’s story even had an Australian angle: she intended to tour the
country in late 1954 and appear in a series of fashion parades featuring
Australian swimsuits, summer frocks and gowns. She also planned a cabaret-like
performance at Sydney’s Palladium Theatre and in Melbourne.
Local models protested, with one modelling agent saying,
A fashion parade featuring Miss Jorgensen would reek of the sort of
sensationalism that’s popular in America, but isn’t suitable in Australia.
For local girls to parade with him – I mean her – would lower our
professional dignity.
The manager of the Palladium cancelled Jorgensen’s show and she called off her
tour – though she did eventually visit Australia in 1961."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
