Anaya Bangar Calls Out 'Toxic Masculinity' Of Cricketers: 'Sent Me Nudes After My Gender-Affirming Surgery'

Anaya Bangar, the child of former Indian cricketer and coach Sanjay Bangar, shared her story last year about undergoing hormone replacement therapy and gender-affirming surgery.

Formerly known as Aryan, Anaya is an athlete who once followed in her father's footsteps by playing age-group cricket.

Photo Credit: https://www.instagram.com/anayabangar

However, she revealed that pursuing a career in cricket became increasingly difficult following her transition. Anaya now resides in the United Kingdom.

Her journey has been anything but easy. In a recent interview with Lallantop, Anaya opened up about the presence of 'toxic masculinity' within the cricketing world.

When asked, "At what point did you realise that you were living in the wrong gender?"

Anaya responded, "For me, it was when I was about eight or nine. I would take clothes from my mum's cupboard and wear them. Then I'd look in the mirror and say, 'I'm a girl. I want to be a girl.'"

She mentioned having played alongside now-prominent cricketers such as Musheer Khan, Sarfaraz Khan, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

"I had to keep everything under wraps because my father is a well-known figure. The cricket world is full of insecurity and toxic masculinity," she explained.

When asked about how fellow cricketers reacted after her gender-affirming surgery, Anaya said, "There's been both support and harassment."

"What sort of harassment?" the interviewer asked.

"Some cricketers sent me unsolicited nude pictures," Anaya revealed.

She also spoke about a particular individual who would verbally abuse her in public.

"He used to hurl abuses in front of others. Yet, later on, he'd come and sit next to me asking for photos. On another occasion, while I was in India, I confided in a veteran cricketer about my situation. He said, 'Let's go to the car, I want to sleep with you.'"

Like her father, Anaya is a cricketer and has represented Islam Gymkhana in local club matches. She has also played for Hinckley Cricket Club in Leicestershire as a left-handed batter.

However, in November 2023, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that transgender athletes would not be allowed to participate in women's international cricket.

"Inclusivity is very important to us as a sport, but our priority was to protect the integrity of the women's game at the international level and ensure player safety," said then ICC CEO Geoff Allardice.

In response to the ruling, Anaya posted a detailed message on Instagram, expressing her deep disappointment with the ICC's decision.

Currently based in Manchester, Anaya remains very active on Instagram, regularly updating her followers on her journey.