Anaya Bangar, daughter of former Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar, recently opened up about her journey of gender transition from Aryan to Anaya. In an emotional post on social media, 23-year-old Anaya, who is also a cricketer, shared her struggles and joys over the past year as she undergoes hormone replacement therapy (HRT). For Anaya, this transition brought personal fulfillment but also impacted her professional life as a cricketer.
In her post, Anaya expressed a deep sense of relief and happiness. She noted, “I am losing strength but gaining happiness. The body is changing, the dysphoria is decreasing… there is still a long way to go, but every step feels like mine.” Her journey has been marked by physical and emotional transformations, but it has also come with sacrifices.
Anaya’s transformation journey began 11 months ago when she started HRT. Hormone replacement therapy involves altering hormones to align an individual’s physical characteristics with their gender identity. For many transgender people, this process can include additional surgeries, though it varies based on personal choice. In India, gender transition procedures were legally recognized in 2014, making Anaya’s journey part of a larger wave of visibility for the transgender community in sports.
Though finding inner peace, Anaya faces the harsh reality of a sports career setback. She recently shared a screenshot of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) guidelines banning transgender women from playing in professional women’s cricket. This decision from the ECB, issued on October 20, affects players like Anaya who had hoped to pursue their passion in women’s leagues. The International Cricket Council (ICC) took a similar stance, restricting transgender athletes from participating in international women’s cricket, a policy decided last year.
Anaya’s journey has resonated with her followers, as she reflects on the shifting dynamics of her career and her love for the game. In a previous post, she wrote, “I never thought that I would have to leave the sport that has been my passion and my love. But here I am facing a painful reality. My body has changed a lot after HRT, and I am losing the muscle, strength, and athletic abilities I once relied on. The game I loved for so long is slipping away from me.”
Anaya Bangar remains an inspiration to many, navigating her journey with resilience and honesty while advocating for the inclusivity of transgender athletes in sports.
