This interview
with Mianne Bagger was conducted by Sara Benson, editor of the thought
provoking
Beyond
Gender Blog.
Mianne Bagger is a strikingly
beautiful woman with long blond hair, blue eyes, and a golf swing worthy
of the Ladies European Tour. Her golfing abilities and her compelling
looks are not the only things that draw the attention of the media.
Although she does not appear to be, Mianne is a minority. She is a
transsexual woman. Due to her gender change, Mianne has been the focus
of a significant amount of media attention and gossip. The golfing
community has allowed her to play, but only after she spent one year of
her time writing to various golf tours in order to have the “female at
birth” clause removed from her entry forms in order to compete. Her
story sounds disturbingly similar to the battle fought by tennis
professional Renee Richards, who successfully sued the U.S. Tennis
Association when she was barred from playing in the U.S. Women’s Open.
Fortunately, Mianne did not have to wage a legal battle. However, her
struggle within the golfing community highlights how little society has
truly progressed in recognizing the rights of every citizen, including
the transgendered.
Mianne is a strong woman, who is
pursuing her dream despite the attention that it draws to her life, her
gender, and her community. Perhaps, she is pursuing her dream because
of her community. Mianne’s story, opinions, and inspirational views are
published below. I hope that her words provide guidance for others who
are fighting against discrimination due to their transsexuality.
Sara Benson:
When did you first come to the realization that you were transsexual?
Mianne Bagger: I always have
difficulty with that term, or word, 'transsexual'. It sounds so harsh and
horrible. Also, my thought is that someone is not ‘transsexual’, but rather it’s
a condition we are born with and get treated for. Once we’ve been treated, we no
longer suffer from this condition.
Anyway, my first memories of realizing that there was something
different about me, compared to other kids, was when I was 6 or 7 years old. I
have never thought of myself as 'transsexual' (or a man for that matter). I have
always felt myself to be female.
Sara Benson:
Was it difficult to "come out" to the world as transsexual?
Mianne Bagger: It was difficult,
and I think more so because the world has been led to see us as 'a transsexual'
....not as a person or as a woman like any other. Women like myself have usually
been portrayed as something less than human, and somewhat of a person of lesser
standing in society and associated with sexual fetishistic behavior ....a
novelty. That was a big part of the difficulty of 'coming out' for me and also
part of my motivation about being open about my life. I was lucky to have good
friends and family and always had a lot of support and understanding around me.
Sara Benson: What advice do you
have for others who are trying to transition to a different gender?
Mianne Bagger: It's difficult
to give advice on something that can be so complex and I think can be dealt with
in so many ways. I think to be honest with yourself, and your motivations, is
always a good way to be, and try to be a little understanding of what people
around you might be trying to deal with as well ...particularly with those
close to us. We will always need to push boundaries and people's comfort zones a
little, but too much at once can be hard for others to take. Just be yourself
and don't always try to force things too much.
Sara Benson: How have you been
received in the golf community? Are you facing challenges due to your gender?
Mianne Bagger: I think I've
been welcomed very much into the golf community. I have a lot of friends through
golf in Australia and Denmark, and a lot of friends on tour. The main challenges
I face now are those in the world at large. Not so much in the golf ranks.
Sara Benson: How do you feel
about the fact that Renee Richards, in your ABC special, stated that perhaps
transsexual athletes should not be able to compete?
Mianne Bagger: I'm not really
sure what to think of that? I don't quite understand her comments and opinions.
Being someone that has dealt with gender identity issues and has been through
gender correction surgery, she would know how absolutely consuming it can be,
and is, in one's life. Suggesting that someone like Tiger Woods could go through
treatment to then play on the women’s tour is unbelievable to me ….and quite
inconceivable. She stated that “if Tiger Woods was a real transsexual”,
well that’s like saying “if Tiger Woods wasn’t really Tiger Woods”. With what we
have to deal with, with regard to our own identity, I doubt very much that any
one like that could become a top sports person. Also, with her being a doctor,
she should know of the physiological effects of HRT and surgery on muscle mass
and strength.
With more and more being known about
transsexualism and intersexed conditions, I hope that it will create greater
awareness and acceptance of the condition that it is. With that, more and more
people are going to be treated earlier on in their lives, and more so before
puberty (there are numerous accounts of this from treatment of kids in Holland
and now more frequently around the world). This means that masculine effects
will be minimized and there is likely to be less ‘older’ people going through
treatment. Basically what I’m saying is that there is going to be less
likelihood of any accomplished sports person going through transition to then
pursue sports as the opposite gender.
Sara Benson: Do you think that
transgender/transsexual rights are progressing in Europe faster than they are in
the United States?
Mianne Bagger: Unfortunately
I only have a perspective from outside of the US, and from that perspective, it
certainly does seem that Europe is progressing faster. I have my own experiences
here in Europe but I have also read a lot of what the situation is like in the
US and also have contact with a lot of people who give me their opinions. It's
sad that in this day and age, there can still be such stubborn, narrow-minded
views on something so complex as human nature.
Sara Benson: What is the biggest
challenge that you have faced in your life?
Mianne Bagger: It has been
one of becoming, and accepting myself for who I am. To challenge a lot of
'norms' in society and not live by it's restrictive superficial rules. To push
the boundaries and challenge the notions of what it means to be a human being
born into a society that wants to tell us how we can and can't live our lives
according to someone else’s ideals.
Sara Benson: Do you believe in
the concept of a third gender? Or, would you rather be considered a woman within
the confines of our gender binary?
Mianne Bagger: It's funny you
should ask that. I have a friend who, for years, has had a theory of a third
gender and of it becoming more prevalent in society in coming years. The way our
society is structured at the moment, gender is binary and one needs to be one or
the other. There isn't room for anything else. That doesn't mean it should stay
like that. I think this binary needs to change and acceptance of people outside
of that should be considered. There are more and more intersexed people that opt
not to have surgery these days. What does society class them as? Where do they
fit in? Where does a person like me fit in for that matter? Society can't
continue to ignore it or try to explain it away.
Sara Benson: Do you believe that
there is a genetic predisposition to transsexuality? Some modern researchers
have found a different brain chemistry in transsexuals. Do you think that this
research makes sense?
Mianne Bagger: I look at is
this way. Gender and ones own core identity is something hard wired and
determined at birth. There are many things that are influenced through
environmental factors and upbringing, but not of ones gender. That has been
proven many times from what I understand. What the reason is and what the
determining biological factor is, I have no idea. The research I have read about
does make sense, but whether it explains why and whether it is 'the cause', I
don't know. It seems there is more to learn.
Sara Benson: What do you hope to
accomplish through your golfing career... both personally and professionally?
Mianne Bagger: I intend on
becoming the best golfer I can be and to make a living from playing on tour.
It's been a passion for a long time and now I have the opportunity to pursue it
and it can be done no less than with 110% effort. On a personal level I think
there are a multitude of things to achieve. I think one grows tremendously in
character by going outside of your comfort zones, going to new foreign places
and meeting new people. As well as the media focus on me while I'm pursuing
these goals. With such media attention I hope to create better awareness of what
it means to deal with transsexualism and various gender variant conditions in
general. People are all just people in this world and the huge variation that
exists should be welcomed and embraced.
Sara Benson: Do you suffer from
discrimination on a daily basis? If so, how?
Mianne Bagger: I guess it
depends where I look. (you can always find what you're looking for!). If I
decide to have a look around on the internet, I am discriminated against daily,
but I also choose
not to focus on that. I have too many wonderful people in my life and I rarely
face discrimination. After all, in day to day life, I'm just Mianne, and that's
who people meet.
Sara Benson: At what age did you
transition to your new gender? Why did you make that decision at that point in
your life?
Mianne Bagger: It was a long
process for me. Starting with my own sense of 'something wrong' from 6 or 7, to
starting counseling at 18 to finally starting treatment when I was 25. For me it
took to getting deeply depressed and becoming suicidal. I simply did not, and
could not, go on living the way I was any longer. I knew absolutely what I had
to do.
Sara Benson: When you
transitioned, did you foresee the media attention that you would receive? If
not, how have you handled the spotlight?
Mianne Bagger: I realized
that if I was to go back to playing golf, it wouldn't be a matter of 'if'
someone found out about me, but merely a matter of 'when'. When I went through
treatment I resigned to the fact that I would no longer be able to pursue
professional golf and was one of the furthest things from my mind at that time.
After then progressing with my golf and getting an invite to the Women’s
Australian Open in 2004, I knew there was likely to be significant focus on me.
I really had no idea how much though.
I am comfortable with the position I'm in and
the media attention I get. Everyone that I have actually done interviews with
have handled the issue with respect and with an open mind. It has all been very
positive and I think they appreciate there is someone being open about what
needs to be discussed. When there is nothing to hide there isn't anything to
fear from [intelligent] media.
Sara Benson: Do you have any
additional comments or concerns that you would like to bring to the general
community?
Mianne Bagger: For people to
open their minds. Realize there are so many different ways of life that people
lead and there is no 'rule book' on how to live. There are many different
perspectives, opinions, likes and dislikes, rituals, beliefs and belief systems.
It doesn't mean you have to be a part of other peoples’ lives that differs from
your own, and it doesn't mean you should dismiss or shun them (or even destroy
them) either. Don't shut it out just because it differs from your own, embrace
this wonderful variation that can make this planet such a fantastic place to
live.
Visit
www.miannegolf.com to learn more about
Mianne and her golf accomplishments.
