The long read: A classical presenter transitions from female to male

Some years ago we received an article from Emma Ayres, an ABC Classic FM breakfast presenter who had been working with young musicians in Afghanistan.

Emma is now Eddie Ayres. The journey to Afghanistan was a revelation in more than one sence.

The extraordinary story is told in this weekend’s Sydney Morning Herald.

But the hardest thing for Ayres in Afghanistan, after 15 years of denial, was being recognised every day as a woman. Ayres was surprised how much the kids constantly singing out “Miss Emma” affected him. He began to despise his headscarf. “I’d weep at being stuck in this female body, it just wasn’t me,” he says. “I’d weep and I’d try to let it go, move on with my life.”

Ayres’ housemate in Kabul, Jennifer Moberg, once told Ayres that Afghanistan “holds a mirror up to you” – that living there is so stressful that you learn who you really are. For Ayres, Afghanistan made him finally confront being transgender.

Read the full article here.

Photo: Andrew Quilty