No space for trans athletes?? Sanjay Bangar Tells Trans Daughter Anaya to Quit

Anaya Bangar’s story is one of strength, heartbreak, and incredible courage. Her journey through hormone replacement therapy and gender-affirming surgery wasn’t just about aligning her body with her identity—it was about finally choosing to live her truth. But that truth came with a heavy cost.

For Anaya, cricket wasn’t just a sport. It was a lifelong love, a space where she once felt she belonged. But after coming out, that space was taken from her. In a deeply painful moment, her own father—a figure deeply connected to the cricketing world—told her there was no room for her in the sport anymore. That rejection didn’t just close a professional door—it cut into something far deeper.

Speaking in an interview with Lallantop, Anaya shared how isolating and overwhelming it felt to be turned away by the very world she grew up in. She spoke openly about battling suicidal thoughts, feeling like the world was punishing her for simply being who she is. “Even basic opportunities and rights are no longer there for me,” she said. “I still had space in my family, but not in society, not in cricket, not in the outside world.”

Beyond the emotional toll, Anaya also exposed the darker side of the cricketing world—a space riddled with toxic masculinity, secrecy, and harassment. After her transition, she received unsolicited nude photos from players, inappropriate propositions, and was treated with both cruelty and hypocrisy. Some of the very people who mocked her in public were the ones who tried to privately exploit her.

“I’ve played with some well-known cricketers—Musheer Khan, Sarfaraz Khan, Yashasvi Jaiswal,” she said. “But I had to hide who I was because my father is a known figure. Cricket is filled with insecurity, and people are scared of anyone who doesn’t fit the norm.”

Anaya’s experience is a powerful reflection of the challenges trans athletes face—not just in sport, but in society. Her story is about more than identity—it’s about survival in a world that often refuses to understand. But in sharing her truth, Anaya has shown remarkable strength. She’s forced a conversation that needs to happen.

Because no one should have to choose between being themselves and doing what they love.