Group Captain Cate McGregor was named as Queensland Australian of the year in a ceremony earlier this month in Brisbane.
Born in Toowoomba, regional Queensland, McGregor joined the Army in the footsteps of her father who served during World War II as well as her grandfather who fought in the Great War.
"It was a surprise and it was lovely to be nominated in Queensland - you always have a connection to the place you are born," said McGregor.
She left the Army in 2014 to join the Air Force on promotion. Notably, McGregor is the highest ranked trans* officer in the Australian Defence Force.
McGregor said that she was delighted and grateful to receive the unexpected award and intends to continue her work as a diversity champion, using the increased opportunity to dispell myths and misunderstandings as well as to bring greater visibility to trans* Australians.
"This award provides me with a platform to advance the cause of LGBTI inclusion more generally and to help trans* folk in particular,"
While some expect that McGregor carries her own soap box and preaches diversity everywhere she goes, the reality is that she fosters respect for diversity by just doing a good job, and being her open and authentic self in the workplace.
"Ultimately I got on and did my job … but I am an Air Force officer who is trans* - a cricket commentator who is trans*."
McGregor works behind the scenes to support and advocate for many trans* personnel in the Australian Defence Force and provides strategic advice to DEFGLIS.
Read more in her interview with Star Observer.
Cate McGregor is a Strategic Adviser to DEFGLIS.