Something I never anticipated would happen in my lifetime. Each year on Australia Day, January 26th, an 'Australian of the Year' is chosen from the eight State and Territory nominees. This year, Group Captain Cate McGregor, the highest ranking trans military officer in the world has been named the Queensland State "Australian of the Year". McGregor, 59, won the award for her work as a diversity champion and national leader in trans* issues, which “as a result Australians have gained a greater understanding and acceptance of the transgender community”, according to the National Australia Day Council. Cate has spent her whole working life in the military, first in the army, and now since her transition, in the air force. You can find out more about her by typing her name into your favourite search engine. Whether or not she wins the overall award, what she has achieved already had done much to improve the perception of the transgendered in the community as a whole.
Cate McGregor named Queensland "Australian of the Year"
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Comments
Cate McGregor
Isn't it terrific when people can see the true person. And isn't it tremendous when the military can see the airman, not how the flier is dressed.
The US military has come from "don't ask, don't tell " to "We don't care", but I wonder if the same thing could happen Stateside.
Cefin
A pic
Love, Andrea Lena
She Has Endured Tremendous Abuse
From such "luminaries" as Germaine Greer and Mark Latham (a former leader of the Australian Labor Party) who have refused to recognise her as a woman. Lately Barrie Humphries (Dame Edna Everage) has joined the chorus, asserting that MtoF transsexuals are not women but merely mutilated males. On the other side of the coin the Defence Force hierarchy has been very supportive of her
I have seen Cate on a number of TV programmes and the ABC made a special of her transition period. She conducted herself with dignity and humour and I am delighted that she is Queenslander of the Year, particularly as we are generally regarded as the redneck state. I will be even more delighted if she is named Australian Of The Year.
Cate Mc Gregor
Thanks for the photo 'Drea and I share your thoughts Joanne ,she is the best thing that has happened to our community out here. Germs Greer and her ilk will say anything to get some press and the less said about Humphries the better ,he only puts women down and to my mind is quite disgusting and my mother hated him but loved Danny La Rue!!! Cate has support in high places and is very well accepted .
ALISON