“In my teenage life I didn’t know who or what I was. All I know is different. I like girls but I know I’m not gay. “I am a man and as I grow up I follow that path,” he said. baker in an interview with EPA Images.
baker, 36 years old, he did not realize until he was 21 with absolute certainty that the gender he was born with did not match his identity and he did not know of the existence of transsexuals until he watched a television documentary.
“When I was young my problems were not addressed. I went a little crazy and ended up in prison 13 times before I turned 25. I was jailed for petty fights and for disobeying probation orders. “I was a kid who was a little lost, but I’m not anymore,” he said.
“Boxing saved my life”
One of the main reasons why he found himself, explained Baker, was the work and participation he showed in the ring: “Boxing saved my life. It gives me a reason to get up, routine, good nutrition, social skills, bonding with the coach and my family. “It gave me a family, something I never had before,” she said.
Train under the orders of Steve Kippshis teacher at Sparta Gym Chingfordto the north of London. A person who became a tutor for him: “In boxing you can’t take shortcuts or you will be punished. It’s all or nothing,” explains Kipps, highlighting the “discipline of this sport, something you can incorporate into your life.”
Although Baker has finally found acceptance in the ring, to achieve full integration, there are still significant obstacles in both sporting circles and society at large.
According to figures from the British Home Office, hate crimes recorded against transgender people last year England and Wales They increased by 11% to 4,732 incidents.
Trans people also face similar barriers to acceptance in sports circles. Disciplines such as athletics, cycling, rugby or swimming have imposed restrictions or outright bans on trans athletes.
“In amateur and professional boxing there is no way for a trans fighter to box. The rules don’t allow it and the authorities won’t allow it,” Kipps said.
Without throwing in the towel
But Kipps is optimistic and hopes that, eventually, trans people will achieve equal rights and compares it to women’s boxing, whose popularity is now on the rise and only 20 years ago was considered “a joke”: “Danny will be a pioneer and I will be a don. I don’t see why in 10 years we won’t have trans boxers,” he added.
Baker’s pivotal role has helped inspire several trans youth, who have contacted her on their journey to find acceptance and make their way into the sport by joining Sparta Gym.
One of those young people was Vinny Oakey a 15-year-old boy who was born female but identifies as male: “I live in Portsmouth (just over 100 kilometers south of the capital) but no gyms will accept me because I’m trans. “I get up at 6: 30 every Saturday with my parents and we go to London to train.”
In this sense, Kipps organized separate training sessions for trans youth on Saturday mornings to encourage everyone to participate, without labels or restrictions.
“We try to support younger trans people to show them that they matter. They closed the door on me when I was young and that’s what put me in jail. I want to stop people from going through negative moments and support them. I just want them to be happy,” Baker concluded.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
