One of Australia’s most celebrated transgender women, Cate McGregor, is set to address the National Press Club today, delivering the second keynote address for Women in the Media.
Group Captain McGregor, formerly Malcolm McGregor, is a decorated military captain, author, cricket commentator and speech writer, who has been active within the military community, politics and media for years. Her impressive career spans over forty years, and has drawn praise for her work, not only in her professional fields, but for her contribution to the transgender community, as well.
Cate, born Malcolm Gerard McGregor in 1956, lived as a man for 50 years before she made the brave decision to transition as a transgender woman in 2012. Her decision, and her journey, was revealed to The Weekly Editor-in-Chief Helen McCabe in a recent interview. Here she talks about growing up feeling as if she were a girl, and not knowing why.
In the interview she speaks about her marriage. “We both envisaged growing old together,” she says of Tritia.
“I would not have married her if I thought my gender was not resolved.”
“It was challenging,” she says, “I had conflict about my gender from a very young age, I tried on mum’s clothes – I got into terrible trouble for that.”
Her strict catholic upbringing, she notes, was one of the reasons for her late transition.
“One always would love to think that our parents accept us, and just want us to be happy – but… I don’t think my dad would have coped with this,” she says of her father, “He was a World War II veteran… he was extremely male. He dreamt that I would be a soldier, and that I would play cricket for Australia.”
Cate is currently the Director of Research and Analysis in the Office of the Chief of Air Force, and is the most senior ranked transgendered military officer in the world.
She is set to address the Press Club today at 12.30.
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