Cate McGregor

"Catherine McGregor" redirects here. For the actress, see Katherine MacGregor.
Cate McGregor
Born Malcolm Gerard McGregor
1956
Toowoomba, Queensland[1]
Nationality Australian
Occupation Army officer, Air Force officer, author, cricket commentator
Television One Plus One interview, ABC News[2]

Group Captain Catherine "Cate" McGregor AM (formerly Malcolm Gerard McGregor) is a serving member of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). She has also been a cricket commentator, author, and advocate for LGBTI issues.[3][4][5][6]

Cricket

From 2011 McGregor has been a cricket writer for The Spectator,[4] a cricket commentator for The Australian,[7] and the Australian Financial Review,[5] and the author of a book, An Indian Summer of Cricket, published on 24 November 2012.[8] In a 2012 review, Tony Abbott, then federal Leader of the Opposition, described the book as "the best sort of book about sport" for "those who think that sport can be a metaphor for life". Abbott called the Chief of Army's launch of the book "a fitting salute to [moral] courage"[9]

In late 2016, McGregor resumed her cricket career playing for a Canberra women's cricket team, with the possibility of selection in the Women's Big Bash League.[10][11] It is reported that she uses drug therapy, has high levels of oestrogen and no longer produces testosterone.[11]

Military

In 2012, McGregor was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the Military Division for "exceptional service to the Australian Army as the Director of the Land Warfare Studies Centre".[12]

Following a period between 2010 and 2013 when numerous ADF personnel were involved in misogynistic behaviour (including the non-consensual filming of sexual encounters with women),[13] Chief of Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison AO responded in a video speech which was written by McGregor.[14] In the speech he described the actions as a "direct contravention" of the Army's values, and said "those who think that it is okay to behave in a way that demeans of exploits their colleagues have no place in this army." [13]

In 2013, David Morrison "refused to accept her resignation when she went public" as transgender.[15] In November 2013 McGregor was the highest ranking transgender individual in the Army, and the speechwriter and strategic adviser for David Morrison.[2]

In 2013 there was a number of social media exchanges involving McGregor[16] for which the Department of Defence made a payment in compensation.[17]

McGregor transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on 20 June 2014 to work on projects for the Chief of Air Force.[18]

In 2015 McGregor, in considering having gender reassignment surgery said, "it’s about being congruent in your identity. I would like to feel whole,"[1] and that any sex change, "will be funded independently with no taxpayer assistance".[19]

Queenslander of the Year

In 2015 McGregor was named as Queenslander of the Year, despite not living in Queensland,[20] and as such became a finalist for 2016 Australian of the Year,[21] which was subsequently awarded to her previous commanding officer, David Morrison. She described the selection of Morrison as a "weak, conventional choice",[22] a comment for which she subsequently apologised.[23][24]

Post military career

McGregor has been appointed as a patron of Kaleidoscope Australia, a not-for-profit organisation focused on promoting and protecting the rights of LGBTI people in the Asia Pacific region[25] and is to move into trans-advocacy, on a full-time basis.[26] In September 2016, it was reported that McGregor had been "sacked" by Kaleidoscope Australia because of her criticism[27] of the Safe Schools program.[28][29]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Being Transgender: The secret I kept for 50 years". Australian Women's Weekly. 11 April 2015. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  2. 1 2 "One Plus One (Video)". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 24 May 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  3. Maiden, Samantha. "Bombshell dropped as army officer changes gender". Herald Sun. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  4. 1 2 Malcolm McGregor, The Spectator, 12 November 2011
  5. 1 2 How Malcolm became Cate amidst a passion for cricket and war, Radio National, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 24 November 2012
  6. Farr, Malcolm. "Coffee with my mate Cate (who used to be Malcolm)". The Punch. Archived from the original on 17 November 2012.
  7. "Stories by Cate McGregor, Cricket writer". The Australian. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  8. An Indian Summer of Cricket, Barrallier Books, 2012. ISBN 9780987168559
  9. Tradition meets change, Tony Abbott, writing in The Spectator, 24 November 2012
  10. "Catherine McGregor's pitch for the Big Bash at 60 boosted by win in first cricket match". News Ltd. 20 November 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  11. 1 2 Black, Sarah (20 November 2016). "Transgender cricketer Catherine McGregor sets sights on selection for the Women's Big Bash League". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  12. "Media Advisory: Governor-General to Invest Australian Honours and Bravery Recipients 27 April 2012". Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  13. 1 2 "Australian Story - Call Me Cate - Transcript". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  14. "Transgender Lieutenant Colonel Cate McGregor speaks out about abuse and support". News Ltd. 5 July 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  15. Transgender Lieutenant Colonel Cate McGregor speaks out about abuse and support, News.com.au, 5 July 2013
  16. "Transgender Lieutenant Colonel Cate McGregor counselled after online outburst". News Ltd. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  17. Thomas, Hedly (26 January 2016). "Compensation funding legal battle against Defence". The Australian. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  18. "Special invitation to share her story" (PDF). Air Force. Royal Australian Air Force. 19 June 2014. p. 7. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  19. "Australian Defence Force spends $640,000 on gender identity treatment for transitioning troops". Adelaide Now. 11 June 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  20. Thomas, Hedley (29 January 2016). "Cate McGregor's nomination: Canberra, that's in Queensland". The Australian. Retrieved 29 January 2016. (subscription required)
  21. Houghton, Des (9 January 2016). "Opinion: Australian of the Year Queensland finalist Catherine McGregor may raise eyebrows". Courier Mail. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  22. "Cate McGregor said choosing David Morrison as Australian of the Year was a 'weak, conventional choice'". Daily Telegraph. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  23. Wroe, David (27 January 2016). "Australian of the Year: Catherine McGregor sorry after saying David Morrison choice was 'weak'". smh.com.au.
  24. Beers, Lucy Mae (27 January 2016). "'It was a weak and conventional choice': Australian of the Year finalist says SHE should have won because the country was ready for a trans person". Daily Mail. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  25. "Cate McGregor appointed as patron of Kaleidoscope Australia Human Rights Foundation". Star Observer. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  26. Power, Shannon (27 January 2016). "Cate McGregor apologises for "weak" selection comments of Australian of the Year winner". Star Observer. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  27. "Catherine McGregor speaks out against Safe Schools". Out In Perth. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  28. "Catherine McGregor dropped from LGBT group over anti-Safe School comments". Same Same. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  29. Power, Shannon (6 September 2016). "Catherine McGregors angry response to Kaleidoscope Australia sacking". Star Observer. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
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