Christine Burns
Encyclopedia
Christine Burns MBE
(born 1954) is a British
political activist best known for her work with Press for Change. Burns was awarded an MBE in 2004 in recognition of work representing transgender
people.
and attended University of Manchester
, earning an undergraduate degree in computer science
in 1975 and a master’s degree in 1977. She worked as a city IT
consultant and a Tory
activist before coming out about her trans history. When Burns came out to local Tory leaderhip in 1994, the tabloids decided not to run the story because she was "too ordinary". She jokes about how she became involved in trans activism: "I realised something had changed in 1997, when I realised it was more embarrassing to admit to being a conservative than to being a trans woman."
Burns had joined Press for Change before coming out and was a leading figure in getting legal recognition for trans people. Burns has criticized mental health practitioners for bias against trans people. She has asserted that some psychiatrists refer for surgery only those patients whom they consider attractive, and was an early critic of the controversial 2003 book The Man Who Would Be Queen
by J. Michael Bailey
, She has also criticized research claiming that trans people are less happy after transition. Burns has advocated for better media depiction of trans people, including Hayley Cropper
on Coronation Street
and Nadia Almada
on Big Brother. She has also advocated on behalf of trans youth and their families seeking medical intervention as minors.
She was among the first to gain a certificate recognizing her gender under the Gender Recognition Act 2004
, which she had pushed for passage. Burns said, "For most it's been a profoundly personal thing - not something to shout about, but a piece of paper to hold, to have a little cry, and feel closure at last." Burns was honored with an MBE the same year as Stephen Whittle
for their efforts on behalf of trans people. Her efforts were also lauded by MP
Gerald Kaufman
.
Burns chaired the first Department of Health
working group on trans issues from July 2006 and was appointed as an advisor to the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Advisory Group (SOGIAG). Burns left Press for Change in November 2007 to focus on strategic issues with public officials.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 1954) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
political activist best known for her work with Press for Change. Burns was awarded an MBE in 2004 in recognition of work representing transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
people.
Career
Burns was born in the London Borough of RedbridgeLondon Borough of Redbridge
The London Borough of Redbridge is a London borough in outer north-east London. Its administrative headquarters is at Redbridge Town Hall in Ilford. The local authority is Redbridge London Borough Council.-Etymology:...
and attended University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
, earning an undergraduate degree in computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
in 1975 and a master’s degree in 1977. She worked as a city IT
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
consultant and a Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
activist before coming out about her trans history. When Burns came out to local Tory leaderhip in 1994, the tabloids decided not to run the story because she was "too ordinary". She jokes about how she became involved in trans activism: "I realised something had changed in 1997, when I realised it was more embarrassing to admit to being a conservative than to being a trans woman."
Burns had joined Press for Change before coming out and was a leading figure in getting legal recognition for trans people. Burns has criticized mental health practitioners for bias against trans people. She has asserted that some psychiatrists refer for surgery only those patients whom they consider attractive, and was an early critic of the controversial 2003 book The Man Who Would Be Queen
The Man Who Would Be Queen
The Man Who Would Be Queen: The Science of Gender-Bending and Transsexualism is a 2003 book by J. Michael Bailey, published by Joseph Henry Press....
by J. Michael Bailey
J. Michael Bailey
John Michael Bailey is an American psychologist and professor at Northwestern University. He is best known among scientists for his work on the etiology of sexual orientation, from which he concluded that homosexuality is substantially inherited...
, She has also criticized research claiming that trans people are less happy after transition. Burns has advocated for better media depiction of trans people, including Hayley Cropper
Hayley Cropper
Hayley Anne Cropper is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street...
on Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
and Nadia Almada
Nadia Almada
Nadia Conceicao Almada is a Madeiran-born UK reality television star, best known for being the first transsexual winner of Big Brother in series 5 in 2004.-Big Brother:...
on Big Brother. She has also advocated on behalf of trans youth and their families seeking medical intervention as minors.
She was among the first to gain a certificate recognizing her gender under the Gender Recognition Act 2004
Gender Recognition Act 2004
The Gender Recognition Act 2004 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that allows transsexual people to change their legal gender. It came into effect on 4 April 2005.-Operation of the law:...
, which she had pushed for passage. Burns said, "For most it's been a profoundly personal thing - not something to shout about, but a piece of paper to hold, to have a little cry, and feel closure at last." Burns was honored with an MBE the same year as Stephen Whittle
Stephen Whittle
Professor Stephen Whittle OBE, PhD is an active member of the United Kingdom TransActivist organisation Press for Change. Now , Whittle is Professor of Equalities Law in the School of Law at Manchester Metropolitan University....
for their efforts on behalf of trans people. Her efforts were also lauded by MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Gerald Kaufman
Gerald Kaufman
Sir Gerald Bernard Kaufman is a British Labour Party politician, who has been a Member of Parliament since 1970, first for Manchester Ardwick, and then subsequently for Manchester Gorton...
.
Burns chaired the first Department of Health
Department of Health (United Kingdom)
The Department of Health is a department of the United Kingdom government with responsibility for government policy for health and social care matters and for the National Health Service in England along with a few elements of the same matters which are not otherwise devolved to the Scottish,...
working group on trans issues from July 2006 and was appointed as an advisor to the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Advisory Group (SOGIAG). Burns left Press for Change in November 2007 to focus on strategic issues with public officials.
Selected publications
- Burns, Christine (1999). If That's Your Idea of Non-Discrimination. In Tracie O' Keefe (ed.) Sex, Gender and Sexuality: 21st Century Transformations. Extraodinary People Press, ISBN 0952948222
- Burns, Christine (2003). The Second Transition. In Tracie O' Keefe and Katrina Fox (eds.) Finding the Real Me: True Tales of Sex and Gender Diversity. Wiley, ISBN 0787965472
- Burns, Christine (2004). Transsexual People and the Press: Collected Opinions from Transsexual People Themselves. Press for Change, November 2004
External links
- Christine Burns profile via Press for Change
- Burns' Podcast "Just Plain Sense"
- Burns' Blog "Just Plain Sense"