# Uplifting historical stories and persons? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 26, 2015, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uplifting-historical-stories-and-persons/718543 "2015-04-26T00:46:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uplifting-historical-stories-and-persons/718543/1 "2015-04-26T00:46:06Z")
Unfortunately I can’t recall her name but I recently read the story of one of the first people to have a male to female sex change operation, who had died at the time of the article. Of course we all know what happens, she is rejected by her family and friends, she later regrets the operation and would give anything to have it undone, she searches her entire life but fails to gain acceptance by society, her relationships are short and unsatisfactory, she eventually dies penniless and alone. Except…except…the operation went well, although crude by modern standards she never experienced any dissatisfaction with the results, her parents accepted her decision and were just glad she was finally happy, her friends were understanding and supportive, she had a minor but respected Hollywood career before finding someone she loved and who loved her before settling down with them for the rest of her life, which by all accounts was rich, full and entirely satisfactory. I thought it was so goddamn nice and unexpected to read a story about a person that _wasn’t_ full of dark and depressing struggle, but where things appear to have genuinely worked out for the best. There seems to be something of a perverse satisfaction these days in finding out that respected historical personages had their dark secrets, unpleasant personalities and hidden aspects of their lives. Are there any other examples of historic or famous persons who appear, as far as is known, to be as basically good people as they were initially recorded as having been, with no dark side etc? ---
**Author:** ![Marion\_Wormer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Marion\_Wormer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marion_Wormer)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uplifting-historical-stories-and-persons/718543/2 "2015-04-26T01:19:31Z")
I think the name you’re thinking of may be Christine Jorgensen. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uplifting-historical-stories-and-persons/718543/3 "2015-04-26T01:27:52Z")
[This podcast has a great and amazing story!](http://www.missedinhistory.com/podcasts/the-glamorous-strongwoman/) The Glamorous Strongwoman > [@](#): > > From an early age, Katie Sandwina wowed crowds, first as a wrestling act and then exclusively as professional strongwoman. During a time when women’s suffrage was a hot button issue, she cultivated an image of a perfectly feminine powerhouse. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uplifting-historical-stories-and-persons/718543/4 "2015-04-26T01:34:03Z")
Not historical and still alive: The doorman who worked weekends at the place where I used to live, was also a doorman at another building 5 days a week. Yes, he worked 7 days a week probably 48 weeks a year. Occasionally something would happen and he would take a weekend day off but that was very very rare. He had 4 kids and wanted to pay for them to all go to college. The thing is, he was one of the happiest, calmest people I’ve ever met. He wasn’t bitter or frustrated or anything. He simply had a good attitude. His name was Ruben. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uplifting-historical-stories-and-persons/718543/5 "2015-04-26T08:19:01Z")
> [@Marion\_Wormer](#): > > I think the name you’re thinking of may be Christine Jorgensen. Wow, yep I think you’re right. But I misremembered that she died recently apparently. Thanks for the answers Astro and Robert! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uplifting-historical-stories-and-persons/718543/6 "2015-04-26T11:07:20Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > Are there any other examples of historic or famous persons who appear, as far as is known, to be as basically good people as they were initially recorded as having been, with no dark side etc? Fred Rogers, [if Fox News smears you](http://youtu.be/29lmR_357rA) you can’t be all bad.