At 41, a Danish Woman Became a Man

A railway charwoman disappeared and a man who did not officially exist came in her place.

Denmark has produced another sex-change. This time a woman has changed into a man. And the change has occurred in a Danish person. The operation is the only known successful one of its kind.

Anne Petersen was born in 1912 and nobody doubted that she was a girl. But as she grew older she became more masculine. She was ill and the local doctor thought she had hernia.

In 1939 Anne went to consult Professor Knud Sand, in Copenhagen, to seek an operation. He told her that if she changed into a man then she (or he) would be liable to military service. So the operation was postponed. Anne Petersen took a job as charwoman at Padborg station and the operation was not
performed until 1953.

After the operation Anne Petersen was no more—a woman had disappeared. In her place there was a man who did not officially exist until the Ministry of Justice gave him permission to change his name from Anne to Arne, a common Danish male name.

Woman: MASCULINE look was so strong in Anne Petersen a few years ago that people took the railway charwoman for a man dressed in women’s clothes.

Man: DOUBT is dispelled in this picture of Arne Petersen taken in the garden of his mother’s home. His is only known female-to-male change in world.

Anne at four was like any other girl.

Workmen at Padborg Station (south Jutland) now treat Petersen as a man. But before change was complete they used to tease him (or her), tell dirty stories to embarrass him.

Settled by radio for photograph, Petersen was astounded to hear broadcast talk about sex changes. Strange coincidence!

Gardening is favorite hobby of Arne, who loves flowers. He likes doing household tasks—those reserved for males. Big problem was to get employment suitable to man.