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tgukhttp://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/southport-news/southport-southport-news/2009/07/31/southport-boxer-rob-newbiggin-about-his-sex-change-plan-and-being-driven-out-of-town-101022-24278631/
Southport boxer Rob Newbiggin about sex-change plan and losing friends
Jul 31 2009 by Gemma Jaleel, Southport Visiter
Rob Newbiggin and his wife, Emma
SOUTHPORT boxer Rob Newbiggin says he has been driven out of the town he loves after admitting he will undergo a sex change operation.
The father-of-three has forged a 20-year career as a boxer in America and has even sparred with Ricky Hatton, but will soon begin a new life as a woman, known as Mercedes, after the operation.
Rob, 44, said that as soon as the news broke in a daily tabloid newspaper, he lost all his friends.
He told the Southport Visiter: “The way The Sun treated my story was the complete opposite to what I expected. Maybe I was being naive, but they made me out to be some kind of freak. I should have just spoken to the Visiter.
“I have lost every friend I have ever had in the world in this town.
“That upsets me because I have done a lot for this town, with my painting and murals.
“My friends don’t want to know me. I’ve got people winding their windows down shouting abuse at me while I go for my run - that’s why we are having to relocate. I have to think about my kids.”
Rob wants be known as Mercedes after his operation
Rob added that out of all the places in the world he has travelled to, Southport is his home and he will be devastated to leave.
He continued: “At the end of it I’ll be the woman I want to be and I’ll have done a lot of good, but it will be a huge sacrifice because I’m going to have to leave.
“I can’t stay here now – I thought that people would be more supportive, like my wife Emma, but I was wrong.”
Rob, from Crossens, said that he had not taken the decision to become a woman lightly, but that he has to do it to be true to himself.
Born in September 1964 in Pennsylvania, USA, although he had the physical characteristics of a man, he had high levels of oestrogen in his body so his gender could not be classified as either male or female.
He said: “I was born intersexual to South American parents who just left me, I got moved round all sorts of foster homes and adoption agencies. I ended up in Canada.
“My adoptive mum and dad emigrated there from Manchester. My dad was in the Canadian Army and they couldn’t have children, they adopted me when I was about two and half years old.”
Rob’s father, Ted Newbiggin, was in the Canadian Army for ten years and the family moved back to England, settling in Southport, when Rob was four years old.
He went to Meols Cop High School and thenstudied art at Southport College.
“My dad said that I had to act like a man because people wouldn’t accept me as anything else, so I started boxing at the YMCA at about the age of 12.
“He was trying to protect me. I didn’t find out I was adopted until I was 16 and then about how I was born, but then it all starting making sense to me.
“Since the age of ten I was dressing up and watching girls – I preferred girl’s company. I’ve never drank alcohol and while all my friends were going out chasing girls and getting drunk, I was a bit of a recluse.
“My dad started steering me into my painting which I enjoyed. Obviously I was still doing my boxing but I wasn’t into all that bodybuilding stuff.
“Most men want to bulk up but I was relieved when I lost weight. I’ve lost two stone since last year but I’m keeping up my strength for my fight against Michael Gomez.
“It will be over six rounds at the Ritz in Manchester on August 14.
“It will be my last fight as a man, but I’m hoping to get a licence to fight as a female.”
Over the next year, Rob – whose professional fight record includes three wins, one by knockout and 12 defeats – will have to take female hormones and undergo a psychological assessment before the surgery.
He said: “While I’m going through the transformation my kids will not see me as Mercedes. That wouldn’t be fair for them to see me like that.
“I’m going to wait until everything is completed and then Emma and I will gradually introduce them to me as Mercedes.”
Rob said that Emma, 27, his wife of three years, has been his rock.
He added: “We’ve been together about seven years and we got married in Florida in 2006. I think she always had her suspicions about me.
“I always lied to her to save the relationship because I didn’t want to hurt her, but in the end I had to come clean.
“I am so lucky in that respect because she understands what I’m going through and we are going to stay together.
“When it comes to my kids it doesn't matter whether I’m a mother or a father as long as I’m a good parent.
“And I think I’ll be a better parent as a woman. I haven’t provided enough financial stability in my male life for my children.
“I have a future in glamour modelling as a female so now I can give my children a secure and safe future. I would also love to carry on painting and do interior design.”
Rob said that he has already had interest from his contacts in the States from photos he has posted of himself as Mercedes and has already started modelling work.
“I am being inundated on a daily basis by email, letters, and phone calls from people, who range from transgender, terminally ill, disabled, saying that they are so inspired, that it has moved them to come out.
“I’ve turned into some kind of agony aunt. They want to start their new lives and I gave them the courage to do it.
“So our family’s sacrifice of our privacy is already working to help others and that’s what this whole thing is about.
“I don’t want people to be afraid to be who they are.”
Southport boxer Rob Newbiggin about sex-change plan and losing friends
Jul 31 2009 by Gemma Jaleel, Southport Visiter
Rob Newbiggin and his wife, Emma
SOUTHPORT boxer Rob Newbiggin says he has been driven out of the town he loves after admitting he will undergo a sex change operation.
The father-of-three has forged a 20-year career as a boxer in America and has even sparred with Ricky Hatton, but will soon begin a new life as a woman, known as Mercedes, after the operation.
Rob, 44, said that as soon as the news broke in a daily tabloid newspaper, he lost all his friends.
He told the Southport Visiter: “The way The Sun treated my story was the complete opposite to what I expected. Maybe I was being naive, but they made me out to be some kind of freak. I should have just spoken to the Visiter.
“I have lost every friend I have ever had in the world in this town.
“That upsets me because I have done a lot for this town, with my painting and murals.
“My friends don’t want to know me. I’ve got people winding their windows down shouting abuse at me while I go for my run - that’s why we are having to relocate. I have to think about my kids.”
Rob wants be known as Mercedes after his operation
Rob added that out of all the places in the world he has travelled to, Southport is his home and he will be devastated to leave.
He continued: “At the end of it I’ll be the woman I want to be and I’ll have done a lot of good, but it will be a huge sacrifice because I’m going to have to leave.
“I can’t stay here now – I thought that people would be more supportive, like my wife Emma, but I was wrong.”
Rob, from Crossens, said that he had not taken the decision to become a woman lightly, but that he has to do it to be true to himself.
Born in September 1964 in Pennsylvania, USA, although he had the physical characteristics of a man, he had high levels of oestrogen in his body so his gender could not be classified as either male or female.
He said: “I was born intersexual to South American parents who just left me, I got moved round all sorts of foster homes and adoption agencies. I ended up in Canada.
“My adoptive mum and dad emigrated there from Manchester. My dad was in the Canadian Army and they couldn’t have children, they adopted me when I was about two and half years old.”
Rob’s father, Ted Newbiggin, was in the Canadian Army for ten years and the family moved back to England, settling in Southport, when Rob was four years old.
He went to Meols Cop High School and thenstudied art at Southport College.
“My dad said that I had to act like a man because people wouldn’t accept me as anything else, so I started boxing at the YMCA at about the age of 12.
“He was trying to protect me. I didn’t find out I was adopted until I was 16 and then about how I was born, but then it all starting making sense to me.
“Since the age of ten I was dressing up and watching girls – I preferred girl’s company. I’ve never drank alcohol and while all my friends were going out chasing girls and getting drunk, I was a bit of a recluse.
“My dad started steering me into my painting which I enjoyed. Obviously I was still doing my boxing but I wasn’t into all that bodybuilding stuff.
“Most men want to bulk up but I was relieved when I lost weight. I’ve lost two stone since last year but I’m keeping up my strength for my fight against Michael Gomez.
“It will be over six rounds at the Ritz in Manchester on August 14.
“It will be my last fight as a man, but I’m hoping to get a licence to fight as a female.”
Over the next year, Rob – whose professional fight record includes three wins, one by knockout and 12 defeats – will have to take female hormones and undergo a psychological assessment before the surgery.
He said: “While I’m going through the transformation my kids will not see me as Mercedes. That wouldn’t be fair for them to see me like that.
“I’m going to wait until everything is completed and then Emma and I will gradually introduce them to me as Mercedes.”
Rob said that Emma, 27, his wife of three years, has been his rock.
He added: “We’ve been together about seven years and we got married in Florida in 2006. I think she always had her suspicions about me.
“I always lied to her to save the relationship because I didn’t want to hurt her, but in the end I had to come clean.
“I am so lucky in that respect because she understands what I’m going through and we are going to stay together.
“When it comes to my kids it doesn't matter whether I’m a mother or a father as long as I’m a good parent.
“And I think I’ll be a better parent as a woman. I haven’t provided enough financial stability in my male life for my children.
“I have a future in glamour modelling as a female so now I can give my children a secure and safe future. I would also love to carry on painting and do interior design.”
Rob said that he has already had interest from his contacts in the States from photos he has posted of himself as Mercedes and has already started modelling work.
“I am being inundated on a daily basis by email, letters, and phone calls from people, who range from transgender, terminally ill, disabled, saying that they are so inspired, that it has moved them to come out.
“I’ve turned into some kind of agony aunt. They want to start their new lives and I gave them the courage to do it.
“So our family’s sacrifice of our privacy is already working to help others and that’s what this whole thing is about.
“I don’t want people to be afraid to be who they are.”
