Andy’s just one of the guys

Contributor
September 12, 2011

It’s been a year in the spotlight for Andy Guy, who has certainly had his fair share of media attention.

For his audience it’s been a captivating story of change and personal discovery — and how Anna became Andy. Guy told the Star Observer about his transition from female to male.

Growing up in Sydney’s lower North Shore, from a young age Guy felt uncomfortable with the trappings of being Anna.

“It was probably just as basic as I didn’t want anything to do with anything frilly or girly. I was literally kicking and screaming about wearing a dress,” Guy said.

Living as Anna for 30 years, it took some time for him to come to terms with his gender identity.

“It had taken a while to get the point of knowing that this is about who I am and what I need to do with myself. I probably realised this more and more in my recent years.”

Last year not long after his 30th birthday, Anna decided to make the medical transition to Andy.

“It came to the fact I was getting up each morning, extremely unhappy living the way I was,” Guy said.

“I really couldn’t keep up with this persona that I’m going out with every day and it just wasn’t me. I started to do all the research about [transitioning].”

For Guy, his decision was a tool of empowerment not a cure for a gender ‘disorder’.

“I don’t think it’s a disorder,” he said. “It’s a part of a process of growing which can involve a switch of gender.”

Guy said his transition has been as much about changing life direction as it has been a story of changing body. Having left a successful corporate career in event management and marketing, Guy began a creative career in acting while undergoing his transition.

“I went over to the States and explored some acting studios where no one knew me,” he said.

“After four months of playing male roles, everyone was saying, ‘Wow, I can see that’s really you and that’s awesome’. It’s almost in that reflection back, they could see the truth of me.”

Since his return to Sydney from the US earlier this year, Guy has been at the centre of a media whirlwind.

Madison fashion and lifestyle magazine approached him to profile his journey for its June edition.

From there Guy shared his story in interviews with Kyle Sandiland’s 2Day FM breakfast show and Channel 10’s The Circle. He has also documented his transition process on his blog and YouTube channel.

His very public transition has not come without its critics — surprisingly from within the trans community.

Guy said some trans people had taken issue with the order of his medical procedures.

“Most people start hormones and then they do top surgery and then they do a hysterectomy,” he said. “I’ve done it differently and in a way that feels congruent to me, and that’s causing friction.

“I’m making a conscious effort to find surgeons who are going to work with me and that’s scaring some in the community because they’ve had one or two options and some individuals think that’s the way you have to do it.”

In going public with his sex change, Guy feels he’s expanding the options available for other female-to-male hopefuls. Despite the criticism, he is grateful that others from the trans community have been supportive of his journey.

From here, Guy looks forward to pursuing a career in acting, with several projects on the drawing board.

“I feel like I’m in a bit of a creative development phase,” he said. “I’m working part-time to support myself and I’m creating a theatre piece about this whole process.

“I’m hopefully working on an independent feature film about some time next year and I’ve been filming this process to put together some kind of documentary.”

Having completed his hysterectomy, Guy said he hopes to research further surgery on his lower half as well as cosmetic chest surgery.

He said he feels fortunate he’s had the opportunity to share his journey with others through the media.

“I’ve been able to share a story in my life,” he said. “Most people who have come forward after hearing me have said something positive.”

You can follow Guy’s story on his blog and YouTube channel as he documents his ongoing transition process.