Anne Cognito

Sunlight in the Darkness : My Life As a Trans Woman in the Shadows Anne Cognito

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.