Latest news with #Anaya
News18
15-07-2025
- News18
Indian Woman Caught Shoplifting In US After Waiting 7 Hours: 'Are You Allowed to Steal...'
Last Updated: A viral bodycam footage showed the woman pleading with police officers to let her go and offering to pay for the stolen items. She faces a felony charge. An Indian woman was reportedly caught shoplifting merchandise worth $1,300 (Rs 1.08 lakh) at a Target store in Illinois, United States. A bodycam footage of the incident, which went viral on social media, showed the interaction between the woman and police officers. The woman, identified as Anaya, mentions in the video that she was from India. She said she was not from the country and did not have a passport at the time when she was being interrogated. Police officers were heard telling her that she had committed a felony. News18 could not independently verify the claims made in the video. The woman pleaded with the police officers, saying she had not done anything and was even willing to pay for the items she allegedly stole, but the police officers refused to budge. According to the description of the video, police were called to Target on May 1 after the woman 'spent hours inside the store stealing items, ultimately attempting to walk out with thousands of dollars in unpaid merchandise." The woman apologised to the police officers and offered to pay for the items. 'I am really sorry to bother you if it is. I am not from this country. I am not going to stay here." The woman police officer interrogating the woman replied, 'Are you allowed to steal things in India? I did not think so." The alleged shoplifter then argued that she could not run with so many items and repeatedly offered to pay for them. A Target employee told the officers that the woman spent seven hours inside the store before trying to walk out the door with a cart filled with items, but she was apprehended soon afterwards. After reviewing the store bill totalling over $1,300 (Rs 1.08 lakh), the woman was seen being taken to the police station for processing, indicating that she has been charged with a felony. A woman police officer said she deliberately passed all the payout kiosks and took the cart full of items out of the store. The woman's actions were met with criticism online. 'Being an immigrant, I can't fathom the audacity of being a guest in this country and breaking its laws," a user commented below the YouTube video. 'How is it even logistically possible for someone to spend 7 consecutive hours in one store? Do you just walk around in circles? I'm ready to be out by the 30 minute mark," another person wrote. 'Anyone who spends 7 hours in a store, and doesn't work there, is up to no good," another user commented. view comments First Published: July 15, 2025, 21:16 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Print
10-07-2025
- Health
- The Print
Anaya Bangar is at peace after transitioning. She now wants BCCI rulebook to acknowledge trans-people
'I have no regrets, only sadness,' Anaya, who was earlier known as Aryan, told ThePrint. 'I was put in this position by society and the cricket system. I had to choose between giving up on sport or giving up on myself.' It's been more than two years since Anaya chose to live her truth, and today, she feels more alive, satisfied, and at peace than ever before. The noise on social media—the hate and name-calling—doesn't unsettle her. But there's one wound yet to heal: walking away from cricket. New Delhi: Cricketer and social media influencer Anaya Bangar's coming out story sent shockwaves across the cricket fraternity. As the daughter of veteran Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar, her journey wasn't just about overcoming personal homophobia, it was a confrontation with family expectations and societal norms. Recently, Anaya participated in an eight-week research project conducted at the Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport (UK). The goal was to evaluate how hormone therapy had affected her strength, stamina, and overall performance compared to cisgender female athletic standards. The results, she said, revealed that her hemoglobin levels, glucose regulation, and power output were all within or below cisgender female athlete norms. 'This was not done to make a political statement,' Anaya said. 'It is to start a science-based conversation about inclusion in sport; a conversation that centres around data and not assumptions or pre-conceived notions.' So far, Anaya hasn't received any message, call or email from either the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or the International Cricket Council (ICC). 'If this is happening to me, what will happen to people who don't come from privileged backgrounds?' she asks. Also Read: Over a year since RML's transgender OPD opened, a sex reassignment surgery is yet to take place 'Wanted to kill myself' Before transitioning, Anaya's cricket career was on a promising path. A left-handed top-order batter, she played for Pondicherry at the Under-16 and Under-19 levels and even made it to the trials for Mumbai's Under-23 team. On the face of it, her journey as a young cricketer looked successful. But within, Anaya was grappling with a deeper, unresolved struggle. 'There were times I took a knife and scissors to mutilate myself,' she said. 'I would think of killing myself because I couldn't live the fake life or be this fake version which everyone would praise.' 'I thought that if I played for India, IPL or any level of cricket, it would mean nothing because it would be built on a lie,' she added. At just eight or nine years of age, Anaya would dress up in her mother's clothes, standing in front of the mirror in an attempt to connect with who she truly was. But that fleeting sense of joy would go away as soon as she remembered that she was born with a male body. 'There was a lot of internalised homophobia and transphobia in me,' she admitted. 'Therefore, I pushed those feelings aside rather than face them.' From the age of nine until she turned 20, these feelings remained suppressed. Anaya said she was on anti-depressants and therapy. But the under-23 selection match for Mumbai at Bandra Kurla Complex was the clincher. 'Arjun Tendulkar was batting and I was fielding at covers. When he hit a cover drive, I tried to stop it and in that attempt I ended up breaking a wrist bone,' she said. It ended up becoming her last day on a cricket as a biological man. She decided to embrace her identity as a trans-woman. But coming out wasn't the end of her struggles—it was the beginning of a different kind of internal battle. Anaya, who moved to the UK to transition and live a normal life, described the emotional toll of living behind a façade. 'I had to put on this armour, this toughness people expect from men. But when your mind and body are not in sync, those layers you've built to survive can become exhausting,' Anaya explained. 'Over the years, I had built this masculine body, created a persona that fit society's idea of what a man should be,' she said. 'I studied in a boys' school. I played cricket—a sport that thrives on hyper-masculinity and can be deeply toxic.' The 2023 IPL season was when she came out to her parents. And a year later, in November 2024, Anaya made her transition public via Instagram. In order to explain to her parents, Anaya said that she made a playlist capturing what it meant to be a trans-woman, the science behind it and how much a transition would cost. 'Initially, they weren't okay. It took them time to understand, and gradually they showed support for a transition. But, they are still coming to terms with how I looked, how I dressed, the cosmetic surgeries and more,' Anaya said. Process of 'coming out' The transition from Aryan to Anaya didn't just happen with 'coming out' publicly. There were months of counselling and therapy, followed by Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Before any medical transition, psychiatrists check if there is a mental health issues driving the person to take such a step. 'After over two months of assessment, I was diagnosed with gender dysphoria, meaning a misalignment between the mind and the body,' Anaya said. Once the psychiatrist gave her a certificate for gender dysphoria, Anaya was legally allowed to start her Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)—testosterone blocker shots in the form of injections, pills or gel, as well as oestrogen shots. On 26 December 2023 (her birthday) she took her first first testosterone blocker shot. 'Your body tends to react in a different way—you hit second puberty. The same thing every girl experiences, even though we go through that. Besides periods and cramps, we experience everything—like breast development, skin softening, hair thinning out on your body,' Anaya explained, adding that she started experiencing the changes two months into her HRT. Since Anaya's body doesn't naturally produce oestrogen, she has to be on HRT for the rest of her life. 'I take oestrogen shots daily and testosterone every three months. It's part of my life.' The hormonal changes did not just impact Anaya's physical appearance, but also her ability to play cricket. Her energy levels diminished. She started to get bruises from the cricket ball easily. Even with respect to recovery—her body now takes longer. Anaya said that one aspect of transition which often gets overlooked is mental health. 'You are not just losing muscle mass, you are also understanding how those female hormones work. All the layers I built up to fit in as a guy in the society, I had to peel off and it doesn't happen overnight.' Adding, 'It takes a toll on your mental health because you are growing up all over again. You tend to act childish, act all cute and it can be unsettling for many.' Anaya also revealed that following her transition, she faced harassment on social media and by some former cricketers. 'People have asked for nude images, have asked me to sleep with them and so on but I am sure other trans-women go through worse.' Transphobia in cricket When it comes to making Indian cricket more inclusive, Anaya calls for one thing above all: fairness—fair dialogue, fair discussions, and fair guidelines. 'Before anything else, we need acknowledgement—acknowledgement of the existence of trans-people in the BCCI rulebook,' she said. 'And we need to reinstate case-by-case assessments for trans-women who wish to compete in the women's category.' She emphasised that medical oversight which is already in place can also play a major role in assessment. 'Athletes have to regularly submit testosterone levels—monthly in some cases—just like ICC guidelines. Even after completing a year of hormone therapy, trans-athletes still have to prove their levels are within range. And for trans-women who've undergone surgery, testosterone levels remain low because their bodies no longer produce it,' she explained. Therefore, Anaya is critical of blanket exclusions based on public perception or prejudice. 'You can't exclude an entire group just because of transphobia or how the general public perceives trans-people.' To drive the point home, she drew a comparison with former competitive swimmer and Olympian Michael Phelps. 'His body defies athletic norms—he produces less lactic acid, has a longer wingspan, and other unique advantages. Would you ban him? Then why is it only women who are targeted for their biology?' The influencer also pointed to the Imane Khelif controversy as an example of harmful assumptions. 'Imane isn't a trans-woman. She was born female, raised female. Her situation is likely similar to Dutee Chand's. Both have higher natural testosterone levels. But just because she doesn't conform to stereotypical ideas of femininity, people assume she's trans. That's deeply unfair.' During the India–England Test match, pride flags were painted on the wickets to mark Pride Month. This came just weeks after the England and Wales Cricket Board banned transgender women from participating in all levels of women's cricket. 'They want to appear supportive, but don't want to take actual supportive steps. It's performative,' she said, praising companies like Godrej in India, which offer transition-related medical coverage and create space for trans-employees to work with dignity. 'That's what meaningful support looks like,' she added. If you are feeling suicidal or depressed, please call a helpline number in your state. (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: AP HC rejects argument that trans-women cannot be seen as 'women'. Here's what the ruling means
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Exclusive: There has been no support from Indian cricket, says Anaya Bangar
Cricketer-social media influencer Anaya Bangar, (inset) formerly Aryan "As far as support from Indian cricket is concerned, there has been silence. No institution or player has come forward to ask, 'How are you doing? Do you need help navigating this? You played our game. Why did we leave you behind?' The assumption that all trans women have an inherent advantage in sport is scientifically outdated. I've been on medically supervised hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for over a year. My body falls well within the cisgender female athlete range according to the report from Manchester University. If transwomen meet scientifically agreed performance margins based on hormone levels, strength metrics, and transition timelines why should they be denied the right to compete?" It hasn't been an easy road for 25-year-old Anaya Bangar, daughter of ex-cricketer Sanjay Bangar . Formerly Aryan, Anaya was born a boy but always identified as a woman. Her gender transition journey including HRT (hormone replacement therapy), required much more than mental resilience and blocking of external noises that doubted if this is just a ploy for seeking attention. It meant giving up a sport that she plays and deeply cherishes – cricket. Not only in India but globally, there's resistance to inclusion of transwomen in women's sports on the grounds of biological differences affecting performance. However, Anaya is confident that these policies should change given the recent studies and tests she herself underwent that support her argument that trans women have no biological advantage over cisgender women. In a candid chat with BT, Anaya shared her journey. For the first time in August last year, you came out as a trans woman through a post on Instagram. Did you always feel like a woman trapped in a man's body? It all started when I was 8-9 years old. I would hide in my room and wear my mom's clothes. Whenever I looked in the mirror, I saw a girl. I wanted to be a girl. I kept this to myself until my 20's. It was suffocating. I was ashamed of myself for feeling the way I did. I feared how the world and my family would react. I kept doubting my thoughts and calling myself wrong for not aligning with my birth gender. I adapted my body language to make it seem boyish just so that I can fit in with the other boys. At the age of 21, I found the courage to finally own who I am. I opened about my identity to a few friends during lockdown because it gave me time to introspect. For a decade before that, not a single person knew what I was going through. It did affect my mental health. How accepting was your inner circle? I have made my peace with isolation. Support has been minimal. My parents paid for my HRT, and for that I'm grateful. But every other part of my transition from laser hair removal, cosmetic procedures, clothing, jewellery, media prep I've had to manage myself. Could be a case of habit but till date my parents refer to me as Aryan and not Anaya. As far as support from Indian cricket is concerned, there has been silence. No institution or player has come forward to ask, 'How are you doing? Do you need help navigating this?' After this report comes out, I am open to having discussions with BCCI , ICC and other institutions to have a fair and just discussion about this. There's no point waiting for support. I became one. For myself, and for every athlete who's waiting to be seen. So, it's a lone battle? The truth is I've been doing all this alone. I didn't inherit a system. I didn't inherit a team. I inherited silence and I've had to build a voice loud enough to survive it. My parents helped me with the basics; they paid for my hormone therapy. But the rest? The emotional cost, the financial cost, the daily cost of becoming a woman the world doesn't know how to hold. That's all from my savings since the time I have been playing age group Cricket. I've had to keep showing up with a smile when I wasn't sure if I could afford my next dose. I've had to explain myself in rooms that only ever saw me as a 'controversy.' No one from Indian cricket called to say, 'You played our game. Why did we leave you behind?' I don't want pity. I want a policy. I want a system where the next trans girl who wants to pick up a bat isn't told she's a threat but told she's welcome. I want my story to be the last one that had to be built on survival instead of support. Anaya Bangar, Location: Dadar SOCIAL; (inset) father Sanjay Bangar After you called out toxic masculinity in Indian cricket, you were labelled as an attention seeker. How do you deal with this backlash? Every time a woman, especially a transwoman, speaks openly about her experience, there's a section of people who try to dismiss it as 'attention seeking.' That's not criticism. That's deflection. If I had stayed quiet about being harassed or disrespected by people in power, I would've been praised for being 'disciplined.' But silence is what allows toxicity to thrive. I didn't share my truth for attention. I shared it for the people who'll think twice before doing something to some other girl which I had to go through. (Anaya shared how a cricketer sent her inappropriate pictures to the DM). And if my voice makes some people uncomfortable, maybe it's time they are asked why they were comfortable with the behaviour I exposed. There's a lot of debate around trans women having biological advantage in elite female sport, which is why it's unfair to cisgender women. Your thoughts? The assumption that all trans women have an inherent advantage in sport is scientifically outdated. I've been on medically supervised hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for over a year. My testosterone levels are 0.5 nmol/L, which is within and in some cases, below the cis female range. My muscle mass, power output, and recovery ability have reduced significantly, which aligns with what international studies (including the SIT01 report) have documented in transitioned athletes. My body falls well within the cisgender female athlete range according to the report from Manchester University. The research was done by Dr Blair Hamilton. Inclusion isn't about erasing fairness, it's about redefining it using data, not fear. That's why I advocate for sport-specific, case-by-case assessments not blanket bans. If transwomen meet scientifically agreed performance margins based on hormone levels, strength metrics, and transition timelines why should they be denied the right to compete? But higher Testosterone tends to be associated with better physical performance for athletes, doesn't it? Yes, testosterone contributes to physical development in puberty but when suppressed medically for 12+ months, its performance benefits decline rapidly. In my case, regular blood work shows a testosterone level of 0.5 nmol/L — and zero athletic advantage compared to cis female athletes. Any governing body that truly cares about fairness should evaluate outcomes, not assumptions. If I test within the cis female athletic margins, shouldn't I be given the same rights as any other woman? I've got scientific evidence to back whatever I'm saying. My conclusion is based on my medical examination with a reputed university. The ICC, ECB, FA ruling for trans women The International Cricket Council (ICC), global governing body of cricket in 2023 stated, 'Any player who has transitioned from male to female and has been through any form of male puberty will not be allowed to participate in women's international cricket, regardless of any surgery or gender reassignment treatment they may have undertaken.' English football's governing body (FA) also made changes in their policy and said only those born biologically female will be permitted to play women's football at all levels. 'Transgender women will no longer be able to play in women's football in England, and this policy will be implemented from June 1, 2025.' This was following the UK Supreme Court's ruling on April 16 that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex. On May 2, the English Cricket Board (ECB) followed suit. It said, 'With immediate effect, only those whose biological sex is female will be eligible to play in women's cricket and girls' cricket matches.'
India.com
20-06-2025
- Health
- India.com
Anaya Bangar to seek ICC, BCCI backing for Transgender participation in cricket, says 'I am eligible for women's cricket'
Anaya Bangar. New Delhi: The daughter of a former India cricketer, Sanjay Bangar, Anaya Bangar has urged the ICC and the BCCI to show support to the transgender athletes. Once Aryan, now Anaya, posted an eight-page report of athlete testing on Instagram detailing her transition experience after a year of the Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). On one of the videos posted on the platform, she shared that she was eligible to play women cricket and she talked of how she partnered with Manchester Metropolitan University in the process. The 23-year-old also revealed that Manchester Metropolitan University checked her muscle power, endurance, glucose as well as oxygen levels and compared their values to those of cisgender female athletes. All her parameters were within a normal range as per the reports compared to those of cisgender female athletes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anaya Bangar (@anayabangar) 'For the first time, I'm sharing the scientific report that documents my journey as a trans woman athlete. Over the past year, I've undergone structured physiological assessments after starting hormone therapy. This report captures the real, measurable impact of my transition not opinions, not assumptions, but data,' Anaya can be heard as saying in the video. 'I'm submitting this to the BCCI and ICC, with full transparency and hope. My only intention is to start a conversation based on facts not fear. To build space, not divide it. Whether you agree or not, thank you for witnessing,' she added. 'Science kehta hai main women's cricket ke liye eligible hoon. Ab sawaal yeh hai kya duniya tayyar hai sach sunne ke liye? (Science says I am eligible for women's cricket. Now, the question is whether the world ready to accept the truth?' Anaya captioned the video. Currently transgender cricketers have been denied the right to take part in women cricket. The ICC made this limitation at a board meeting, which was held after the end of the 2023 Cricket World Cup. Anaya had a hormonal replacement therapy and gender reaffirming surgery last year and he now resides in the United Kingdom.
NDTV
19-06-2025
- Health
- NDTV
"I Am Eligible For Women's Cricket": Anaya Bangar To Approach ICC, BCCI For Inclusion Of Transgender Athletes
Anaya Bangar, child of former India batter Sanjay Bangar, has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to support transgender cricketers. Anaya, who was formerly named Aryan, shared an eight-page athlete testing report detailing her journey as an athlete, post Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Taking to Instagram, Anaya shared a video and revealed that she is eligible to take part in women's cricket. In the video, Anaya revealed that she collaborated with the Manchester Metropolitan University after completing a year of HRT. The 23-year-old added that the University conducted a test to collect data on her muscle power, endurance, glucose, and oxygen levels, comparing them with cisgender female athletes. As per the test reports, the parameters fell within cisgender female athlete norms. "For the first time, I'm sharing the scientific report that documents my journey as a trans woman athlete. Over the past year, I've undergone structured physiological assessments after starting hormone therapy. This report captures the real, measurable impact of my transition not opinions, not assumptions, but data," Anaya can be heard as saying in the video. "I'm submitting this to the BCCI and ICC, with full transparency and hope. My only intention is to start a conversation based on facts not fear. To build space, not divide it. Whether you agree or not, thank you for witnessing," she added. "Science kehta hai main women's cricket ke liye eligible hoon. Ab sawaal yeh hai kya duniya tayyar hai sach sunne ke liye? (Science says I am eligible for women's cricket. Now, the question is whether the world ready to accept the truth?" Anaya captioned the video. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anaya Bangar (@anayabangar) Currently, transgender cricketers are not eligible to take part in women's cricket. This ban was imposed during an ICC board meeting following the Cricket World Cup in 2023. Anaya underwent a hormonal replacement therapy and gender reaffirming surgery last year and lives in the United Kingdom currently.
