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Published on Monday, 31 October 2011

Written by phinea

Here’s a story which shows transgender women, like all women, come in all shapes and sizes and have all sorts of different interests. Chris Tina Foxx Bruce, a former male bodybuilder, is making a comeback to the sport , as a transgender woman. Chris, 42, first started entering body-building competitions as a man nearly 20 years ago. She began hormonal therapy in 2008 and completed her transformation from man to woman in 2009.

Chris told  the Huffington Post: 'I had to come to terms with the transgendered issue... I tried to get away from the things I did as a guy, but I decided I had to be me.'

So now, Chris is re-entering the world of competitive bodybuilding for the first time since 1993, and this time as a female competitor.

Reducing her body weight from 230 pounds to 190 pounds in order to qualify, her training has been 'much more difficult' than that of a man, she said, because women's hormones make her prone to weight gain.

Chris believes she has no advantage over other women, as judges base their decisions on a selection of criteria, including symmetry, leanness and feminine form.

The organisers so far have been supportive. 'I explained who I was and my story and they were fine with letting me compete as a woman,' she told the Huffington Post.

Chris hopes her new-found public image may help boost transgender understanding, following in the footsteps of Dancing With the Stars contestant, Chaz Bono.

'I am perfectly fine that a typical male-to-female transgender wants to be girly, but don't put me in that bag,' she said. 'This is me. I race cars and I love football.’

Well said, Chris, and good luck with the body-building.