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Anaya Bangar, daughter of former Indian cricketer and coach Sanjay Bangar, has been candid about her transformative journey and the harsh realities she faced after undergoing hormone replacement therapy and gender reaffirming surgery.
Once known as Aryan, Anaya followed in her father’s footsteps into the world of cricket, competing at the age-group level. But transitioning while being part of a highly scrutinized and male-dominated sport brought its own set of challenges.
Now living in the United Kingdom, Anaya recently opened up in a detailed interview about her experience, shedding light on the toxic culture within cricket.
Toxic Masculinity in Cricket and Early Signs of Gender Identity
Speaking to Lallantop, Anaya recounted the moment she began understanding her true identity.
“For me it was when I was eight or nine years old, I used to pick clothes from my mom’s cupboard and wear them. Then, I used to look into the mirror and say, ‘I am a girl. I want to be a girl’,” she said.
As a budding cricketer, Anaya shared the field with now-prominent names like Musheer Khan, Sarfaraz Khan, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Despite playing at a competitive level, she had to conceal her identity due to her father’s public profile and the prevailing attitudes in the sport.
“I had to maintain secrecy about myself because dad is a well known figure. Cricket world is filled with insecurity and toxic masculinity,” Anaya explained.
Harassment and Verbal Abuse Post-Surgery
When asked about the response from the cricket community after her gender reaffirming surgery, Anaya said she received mixed reactions.
“There has been support and there have been some harassment as well.”
She elaborated further when the anchor asked what kind of harassment she experienced.
“There have been a few cricketers who randomly sent me nude pictures of them.”
Anaya also revealed disturbing behavior from individuals who were openly abusive.
“The person used to give gaalis in front of everybody. The same person then used to come and sit beside me and ask for my photos. There was another instance, when I was in India, I told a puraane (veteran) cricketer about my situation. He told me let’s go in the car, I want to sleep with you.”
Continuing Cricket While Challenging Barriers
Despite these challenges, Anaya hasn’t stepped away from the sport entirely. She has represented Islam Gymkhana in club-level cricket and also played for Hinckley Cricket Club in Leicestershire.
However, in November 2023, her aspirations were hit by a major roadblock when the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced a ban on transgender athletes participating in women’s international cricket.
“Inclusivity is incredibly important to us as a sport, but our priority was to protect the integrity of the international women’s game and the safety of players,” said then-ICC CEO Geoff Allardice.
Anaya expressed her disappointment over the decision through a heartfelt Instagram post, where she frequently shares updates about her life in Manchester.
While her journey has been fraught with hardship, Anaya continues to use her voice and platform to advocate for inclusivity and raise awareness about the often-unspoken issues within the cricketing world.
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