Kellie Maloney says transgender acceptance 'lagging'

Attitudes towards transgender people are "20 years behind" those towards gay, lesbian and bisexual (LGB) individuals, Kellie Maloney has said.

The boxing promoter told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme the transgender community was "frightened to come forward", adding: "We're seen as freaks, we're seen as perverts."

She said the LGB movement had been "very good" at fighting for its rights.

Ms Maloney, formerly known as Frank, began gender reassignment in 2014.

'Need acceptance'

Ms Maloney said transgender people were often unwilling to speak out for fear of receiving a negative reaction.

"We need to be accepted. First and last we are human beings, the same as everyone else. We need to drop the labels."

Ms Maloney, 62, said derogatory terms such as "tranny" should no longer be used, and that she disliked being called "transsexual" rather than simply "female".

But she added that perceptions were unlikely to change until people accepted transgender people, "were born with a medical problem - that our brain didn't fit our body, or visa versa. All we've done is use medical doctors to correct that."

'Very lucky'

Ms Maloney is set to judge the final of the first Miss Transgender UK competition in September, and hopes the eventual winner will be able to support - and bring awareness to - the transgender community.

She explained the pageant - which has received 38 entries, including 29 from the UK - was "not all about beauty" but about what the winner could contribute to transgender issues.

She said there was a "mix-up" in general attitudes towards the term transgender, with many people perceiving it as a sexuality rather than a gender.

Despite being single for seven years, she still receives questions regarding her sexual experiences with both men and women, she said.

Ms Maloney advocated a remodelling of the acronym of LGBT to read "LGB and T" to redress the focus away from sexuality.

But in general, she added, she had been "very lucky" in how the public had accepted her.

"I can honestly say I've never been happier, never been more contented. I'm so at peace with myself," she said.

Watch the full interview with Kellie Maloney on the Victoria Derbyshire website.