Sunlight in the Darkness : My life as a trans woman in the shadows

Anne Cognito was ranked the highest British woman at the 1991 and 1992 world windsurfing championships in 14th place: unremarkable but for the fact that she was assigned male at birth. She kept her transgender history secret fearing the consequences of competition as a trans woman in less enlightened times. Since being sacked from the British intelligence services in 1985 for transitioning from male to female she has lived a hidden life ever since. She describes how her trans history informs every aspect of the daily routine whilst leading an outwardly ordinary but sometimes extraordinary life.