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, 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]

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".[10]

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),[11] Chief of Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison AO responded in a video speech which was written by McGregor.[12] 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.[14] 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[15] for which the Department of Defence made a payment in compensation.[16]

McGregor transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on 20 June 2014 to work on projects for the Chief of Air Force.[17]

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".[18]

Queenslander of the Year

In 2015 McGregor was named as Queenslander of the Year, despite not living in Queensland,[19] and as such became a finalist for 2016 Australian of the Year,[20] which was subsequently awarded to her previous commanding officer, David Morrison. She described the selection of Morrison as a "weak, conventional choice",[21] a comment for which she subsequently apologised.[22][23]

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[24] and is to move into trans-advocacy, on a full-time basis.[25]

References

  1. 1 2 "Being Transgender: The secret I kept for 50 years". Australian Womens 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. ↑ "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.
  11. ↑ "Australian Story - Call Me Cate - Transcript". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  12. ↑ "Transgender Lieutenant Colonel Cate McGregor speaks out about abuse and support". News Ltd. 5 July 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  13. ↑ "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.com.au, 5 July 2013
  15. ↑ "Transgender Lieutenant Colonel Cate McGregor counselled after online outburst". News Ltd. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  16. ↑ Thomas, Hedly (26 January 2016). "Compensation funding legal battle against Defence". The Australian. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  17. ↑ "Special invitation to share her story" (PDF). Air Force (Royal Australian Air Force). 19 June 2014. p. 7. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  18. ↑ "Australian Defence Force spends $640,000 on gender identity treatment for transitioning troops". Adelaide Now. 11 June 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  19. ↑ Thomas, Hedley (29 January 2016). "Cate McGregor’s nomination: Canberra, that’s in Queensland". The Australian. Retrieved 29 January 2016. (subscription required)
  20. ↑ Houghton, Des (9 January 2016). "Opinion: Australian of the Year Queensland finalist Catherine McGregor may raise eyebrows". Courier Mail. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  21. ↑ "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.
  22. ↑ Wroe, David (27 January 2016). "Australian of the Year: Catherine McGregor sorry after saying David Morrison choice was 'weak'". smh.com.au.
  23. ↑ 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.
  24. ↑ "Cate McGregor appointed as patron of Kaleidoscope Australia Human Rights Foundation". Star Observer. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  25. ↑ Power, Shannon (27 January 2016). "Cate McGregor apologises for "weak" selection comments of Australian of the Year winner". Star Observer. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
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