Transgender referee Lucy Clark given ‘courage’ to go public by Kellie Maloney
Lucy Clark officiated her first match earlier this month (supplied)
Transgender referee Lucy Clark has spoken out about her decision to go public, saying she was inspired by former boxing manager Kellie Maloney.
Clark, who officiated her first match earlier this month, said Maloney gave her “courage”.
Lucy, 46, told the Mirror: “Kellie is such an inspiration. She’s one of the highest profile people in the transgender community. She understands what I’m going through as she’s been there too.
“I read her book just before I decided to go public. It gave me the courage to do it.”
Kellie Maloney started gender reassignment in 2014
Clark, who is married and has three children, came out as transgender on 19 August.
“I hope the world accepts me for the person I am,” she told the Sunday Mirror at the time.
She added: “I’m the same person. I will just look a bit different. It’ll be nice not to live in two different worlds and be me. I want to inspire others to be who they are.”
Clark had previously officiated more than 100 games in men’s leagues, including Combined Counties, the Isthmian and the National Under 19.
Earlier this year, Maloney said she had undergone gender confirmation surgery.
The 64-year-old boxing manager, who began her transition in 2014, has had a number of surgeries.
Speaking to Kent Online, Maloney said, “I’m a fully-fledged female now.”
Kellie Maloney said she struggled with having to conceal her identity (Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)
Maloney said had been forced to live a double life when she was known as Frank Maloney, a boxing promoter who managed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis.
At the time, she said she was living as a woman in Worthing, West Sussex.
“When I went there, Frank would be locked away in a cupboard and I would be Kellie because no one knew me and I felt safe,” Maloney said.
Only I knew the two people existed. People who saw Frank never saw Kellie.
“It was there from a young age, but I didn’t understand it.”
Maloney said she went to “great lengths to manufacture a masculine image” but struggled as a result of having to hide her identity, which led to three suicide attempts.
She added she was now “very relaxed, happy and open about my life.”
