Transitional: In One Way or Another, We All Transition

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I went through all of that sh*t and came out on the other side, still able to generate self-love and compassion and understanding for other people.” a b c d e f Nosheen Iqbal (4 September 2017). "Munroe Bergdorf on the L'Oréal racism row: 'It puzzles me that my views are considered extreme' ". The Guardian . Retrieved 27 February 2018. She also writes about the trans women who would guide and inspire her, discusses race and systemic racism, gender, fashion, the media, change-making and choosing to live with authenticity. Her memoir, out this week, has been a long time in the making. She signed the book deal almost four years ago, but admits writing it has been a struggle. Not least because it’s such a painful story to tell. “It’s been the most brutal form of therapy I can fathom,” she says. a b Humairah Adam and Morwenna Ferrier (14 September 2017). "Model fired by L'Oreal for remarks on racism will be face of rival campaign". The Guardian . Retrieved 20 September 2017.

This is hands down one of the most important books that everyone should read. At least once. Without question this book is so timely with what's going on here in the UK and elsewhere. For me Munroe Bergdorf is up there with the best of humanity. She's as she always has been - essential. a b c Husna Rizvi (30 August 2017). "Transgender model becomes face of L'Oréal". Pink News . Retrieved 27 February 2018.Bergdorf is the host of the critically acclaimed podcast The Way We Are on Spotify and fronts the hit MTV show Queerpiphany. Her first film, What Makes a Woman, premiered on Channel 4 in 2018. In some ways, it was a very sad read. Unsurprisingly, Bergdorf was confused about her attraction to boys/men pre-transition, was subjected to multiple forms of abuse and violence: sexual, physical, emotional, etc. In light of the recent stories of violence against LGBTQ+ people, protests at drag shows, etc. and in combination with this text, I couldn't help but think about how important it is to educate children and young people about sex, relationships, identifying abusive/grooming/etc. behaviors, etc. Bergdorf herself notes that she did not recognize some of these dynamics until the passage of time/in retrospect, etc. Is this an example of the other kinds of transition she refers to in the book? “I think so. It was transitioning out of an experience that didn’t benefit anybody. I don’t want to be at odds with the biggest beauty brand in the world for the rest of my life, and they obviously don’t want to be seen in a bad light. They have offered me a way to move forward, to understand where they went wrong, and to better improve the practices of their company, and I can be part of that. That’s a positive thing all round. Where cancel culture goes wrong is when people don’t really want to find a resolve, they just want to cast people out of the kingdom or demonise people continually even when they have shown they want to make amends.” What about the swimming – has she swum competitively since school? “No! Nonono!” I stopped swimming competitively when I started having gender dysphoria at school.” Does she swim for pleasure now? “Yes.” Fast? “Not fast. My body’s not as hydrodynamic as it used to be because there’s a lot more of it!” She laughs.

Munroe Bergdorf is feeling exceptionally camera shy (it’s called having a mystique). But even with Zoom’s video feature turned off for our interview in late July, the British model, social activist, and now author stands out for her candor and generosity, with a cadenced “yeah” launching every answer. Moore, Matt (9 June 2019). "Munroe Bergdorft dropped as childline ambassador following transphobic hate campaign". Attitude. The L’Oréal incident was a turning point for Bergdorf. It came close to breaking her, but ultimately it proved her salvation. After a lifetime’s self-sabotage, she fought for herself like never before – for her career, her reputation, her life. “Until that point, I was fighting against myself, whether it was the relationships I was in, or how I was treating myself with drink and drugs. Then, when my life moved into the public eye, I was forced to level up and start fighting for myself. I was on my own side for the first time.” Swimming was not the only sport she excelled in. She was the school’s top high jumper and a gifted middle-distance runner. Did she take pride in her achievements? “Not really. Not when teachers are poking fun at the way you move, and calling you a nancy boy because you’re running away from the ball because you don’t want to play rugby.”

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Full look by Burberry. Jewellery by Bulgari. All photographs: Stylist: Thomas George Wulbern. Stylist’s assistant: Prue Fisher. She says her story is the story of so many trans women – dysfunctional relationships, abuse, seeking solace in drugs and alcohol, mental health collapsing. At one point she was so worried that she called the police to protect her from herself. a b Joe Morgan (30 August 2017). "Munroe Bergdorf becomes first trans woman to star in L'Oréal UK campaign". Gay Star News. Archived from the original on 19 March 2018 . Retrieved 27 February 2018. a b Anushka Asthana (27 February 2018). "Trans model Munroe Bergdorf to advise Labour on LGBT issues". The Guardian . Retrieved 27 February 2018. In 2019, Bergdorf was awarded an honorary doctorate for campaigning for transgender rights by the University of Brighton, and appointed as a National Advocate for UN Women UK.