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The Print
3 days ago
- 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
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Where ex-cricketer Anaya Bangar's research project stands amid wider debate on trans women in sports
Written by Shaarvi Magazine Anaya Bangar, a transgender woman and former professional cricketer, recently participated in a research project to evaluate how hormone therapy has impacted her athletic performance compared to cisgender women (whose gender identity is the same as the one assigned at birth). The study was conducted at the Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport (UK) and aimed to provide data on the physiological effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on a transgender athlete. HRT can involve taking hormones such as estrogen or testosterone through pills or other means. Bangar, who transitioned in her early twenties, has been vocal about the need for evidence-based policies in sports to ensure fair inclusion of transgender athletes. The project aims to improve that understanding. What does the report say? On June 17, Bangar shared the findings on Instagram. Her athletic performance was tracked over eight weeks (January to March 2025) after having completed one year of HRT. Parameters such as body mass, strength, endurance, and injury risks were measured at regular intervals and compared to baseline data from cisgender female athletes. The study also analysed various biochemical markers and power tests like muscle mass, stamina, and glucose and oxygen levels. A post shared by Anaya Bangar (@anayabangar) The results found her haemoglobin levels, glucose regulation, and power output to be within cisgender female range, while her endurance and muscle power declined under hormone therapy, proving HRT's effectiveness in aligning her physiology to cisgender female standards. Bangar has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) to examine her report for future research and open discussions about the inclusion of trans women in women's cricket. What is the larger debate? Despite legal recognition of transgender people in recent years in many parts of the world, their access to a range of opportunities remains limited due to systemic barriers and longstanding binary categorisations of male and female. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in sports, which are largely divided based on sex. The differences in male and female biology and physiology, and their impact on improving athletic abilities, have driven calls for removing trans women from competing in women's categories. The debate, therefore, concerns preventing what are seen as unfair advantages, while making sports inclusive. What do the regulations say? Different countries and sporting bodies have adopted different guidelines. In the US, President Donald Trump's executive order banning trans women from women's sports has caused many educational institutions to restrict trans athletes, including a recent agreement between the University of Pennsylvania and the US government to prevent trans athletes from joining women's teams. In general, sporting organisations have tightened testosterone limits for transgender female athletes, stating it led to 'advantages' in power-based sports. Various incidents, like the controversy involving Olympic boxer Imane Khalif (who was not transgender but online misinformation made such claims at the time), or the restrictions for trans swimmer Lia Thomas, have all been cited as 'unfair biological advantages'. The BCCI currently follows the ICC guidelines on gender eligibility for athletes, according to which 'male-to-female participants who have undergone male puberty are not eligible to compete in the international women's game, irrespective of any surgical or gender reassignment treatment they may have undertaken.' India lacks specific domestic laws or policies addressing transgender athletes in sports, leaving their participation subject to international sporting bodies' regulations. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, guarantees equality but does not outline sports-specific provisions. What has Bangar argued? Bangar has advocated for collecting data on the exact nature of these supposed 'biological advantages' — something yet to be covered by large-scale studies. In 2024, one study said that based on limited evidence, it was suggested that the physical performance of trans people who have undergone at least two years of HRT 'approaches that of cisgender controls' ('The Impact of Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy on Physical Performance', The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism). That means trans men's physical abilities get closer to those of cis men, while trans women reach levels similar to cis women. However, it added that more data was needed. 'As trans people have been stigmatized for many decades, there is little research in the field and the evidence base is not definitive,' it said. In Bangar's case, too, more comprehensive research involving larger sample sizes would be required. The BCCI or ICC has not yet commented on her project. The writer is a student who is a summer intern at The Indian Express.
The Guardian
03-03-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Is it true that … doing pilates can lengthen your muscles?
Pilates has been hailed as something of a wonder exercise in recent years. Some fans claim the low-impact conditioning workouts can lengthen muscles, leaving participants with longer, leaner physiques. But is that true? Absolutely not, says Dr Christopher Morse, reader in exercise physiology at Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport. For a start, he says, there's little evidence to show human muscle fibres can be lengthened by stretching – and if it were possible, it would require putting the muscle under great strain, which pilates doesn't do. 'There is some data that shows you can lengthen muscles,' he says, 'but it was performed on the wings of quails with a weight hanging off them for 16 days of continuous stretch.' Morse says muscles can appear longer when flexibility increases, which can be achieved when people do stretches with light resistance, such as some of the movements in weighted or reformer pilates. This isn't a result of an increase in the length of the muscle, it's because of an increase in the range of motion: the body has simply got better at dealing with the discomfort of being in a stretch position. 'From one day to the next, if I attempt to touch my toes and get progressively closer to the floor, the hamstring will elongate further, but not because it has grown longer,' says Morse. 'You're going to be able to stretch further because the muscle can tolerate the stretch better, rather than because it has increased in length.' So what does that mean for the 'long, lean' physique influencers promise pilates gives you? 'Long and lean is essentially lean,' says Morse. 'And you don't burn many calories doing pilates. They're not getting lean from doing pilates.' Morse does think pilates is a great form of exercise, though. 'There's a lot of core control,' he says. 'This improves core muscle strength, which is one of the most effective mechanisms for preventing back pain.'
BBC News
10-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Swab tests set to decide female athlete eligibility
World Athletics is set to introduce a swab test for elite athletes who wish to compete in the women's category at international "pre-clearance requirement" is part of changes which will further tighten regulations concerning the eligibility of transgender and difference of sex development (DSD) March 2023 World Athletics banned transgender athletes who had gone through male puberty from competing in international competition. However, following recommendations from the World Athletics council, external the governing body is now set to revise its eligibility regulations for male-to-female trans athletes on the basis of fresh evidence which it said shows there is a "significant performance gap before the onset of puberty".The current rules for DSD athletes, meanwhile, requires them to reduce their testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L for at least six months to compete in any female category event internationally. World Athletics has now proposed the rules for both DSD and transgender athletes should be the same because new evidence has "clarified that testosterone suppression in 46XY DSD, external and 46XY transgender individuals can only ever partly mitigate the overall male advantage".A World Athletics council meeting next month is expected to determine when the new regulations could be Athletics president Lord Coe made "protecting" eligibility of the women's category a key component of his bid to be elected International Olympic Committee said on Monday the proposed new rules "keep up with the latest information available" to maintain "a fair and level playing field in the female category"."Preserving the integrity of competition in the female category is a fundamental principle of the sport of athletics and we look forward to this collaborative consultation process with our key stakeholders in this area," he Athletics said the cheek swab test would look for the SRY gene, which is "almost always on the male Y chromosome" and "is used as a highly accurate proxy for biological sex".A dry spot blood test could also be used to determine an athlete's testosterone levels, in addition to the presence of the SRY have been calls for mandatory sex testing at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028 via swab checks, but there has been disagreement among scientists as to their Alun Williams, who researches genetic factors related to sport performance at the Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport, told BBC Sport last year that a cheek swab alone would "not allow you to reach a robust conclusion on someone's sex and potential advantage in sport".The proposals developed by a World Athletics working group on gender diverse athletes will now go through a consultation period from 10 February until 5 the views of athletes will only be heard during this time and alternative policy proposals to the one outlined are not being sought.
