Man Becomes Woman (Press, 22 November 1968)
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Summary: Man Becomes Woman (Press, 22 November 1968)
Gordon Langley Hall, a writer and the adoptive son of actress Dame Margaret Rutherford, has undergone a sex change operation and is planning to marry John Paul Simmons, a man of African American descent. Most of Hall's British family, including Dame Margaret, support the decision, although a great aunt expressed a reservation about her marrying a Baptist. Dame Margaret, known for her portrayal of Miss Marple in Agatha Christie adaptations, shared her pride in the family, noting that they now have two adoptive sons and two daughters after Hall’s transition to Dawn Langley Hall. While Hall’s operation has not caused significant concern among her family, the news of her marriage has generated surprise within Charleston's high society, where Gordon once held a place. In an interview, Hall, now 31 (though some reports suggest she is 39), discussed her operation at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she began to develop female characteristics. Hormone treatments complemented the surgery. A spokesperson from Johns Hopkins confirmed that Hall had been a patient but declined to comment further. Hall and Simmons, a former garage mechanic and the youngest of eleven siblings, originally planned to marry at a Baptist church in Charleston, where Simmons' father serves as a deacon. However, they abandoned that plan due to threats of violence against the church. Instead, they will have an Anglican wedding in England, which Dame Margaret and her husband, actor Stringer Davis, hope to attend. Miss Hall expressed her desire to return to Charleston with Simmons after their marriage, aiming to live peacefully despite the reactions from her former social circle. She articulated her contentment with her new life, stating, “I was sick and now I'm well,” and affirming their happiness together.
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