Kellie Maloney has revealed she would never have had the courage to change gender while her Irish father was alive.
The 62-year-old boxing promoter is very proud of her background as her mum 80-year-old mum Maureen was born in Wicklow and her dad Thomas was from Roscrea, Co Tipperary.
But speaking in Dublin yesterday Kellie said she is not sure Thomas would have understood why she had to change and become a woman.
She added: “My mum is a very strong woman. My dad was hardworking and taught us all values but obviously I didn’t tell my dad about the gender issues. I think that was one of my problems, keeping things bottled up for so long.
“I don’t know if he would have understood it because of his background.
“He was a man’s man, he was a great father, he taught us right from wrong. He taught us the importance of working hard and the importance of many things. He taught us everything he didn’t do and I used to say to him, ‘Dad why are you lecturing us because you never did this yourself?’
“And he said, ‘You learn from my mistakes – when you become a parent you can tell your children things to do that you should have done.’ And they were quite true words.”
Kellie said her fears of what her father might think of her meant she kept parts of her life hidden from view.
She revealed: “I had so much respect for my dad that I would have found it very hard. I would have feared seeing him losing that respect for me for what I had achieved in the boxing world.
“But my mother is totally different – she has accepted it and she’s not only my mum she is my best friend. We have been through a lot together and she gives me a lot of help and advice.”
Almost a year after leaving Frank behind to change into Kellie, the boxing promoter says life has changed for the better.
And there is romance on the cards already although Kellie is not sure where it will lead.
She said: “My life is much easier now – it’s much more relaxed and I am very contented.
“I’m not living life anymore pretending to be someone I’m not.”
“I was living a lie, I was trying to be someone I wasn’t and for that reason I didn’t always make the right decisions and I wasn’t always a happiest person to be around. I think I am a better parent now too because I don’t hide anything anymore.”
Sipping on a latte in a Dublin hotel, dressed in sharp cigarette pants and a patterned blouse, Kellie lights up when she talks about enjoying a date or two with actor Lincoln Hudson.
The pair were spotted out last week but it was actually their second meeting and a third is being arranged.
She said: “I went on a date with Lincoln last week and he has asked me out again. And I have said yes. But at the moment they are just dates.
“For me it is very hard - because of what I have been through and the sort of baggage I am carrying. And also I am a very public figure so the person I go out with would have to be a very strong character.
“I am instantly recognisable and I draw attention so I would have to be able to trust that person because I would be opening up to them and I would need to be able to lean on that person emotionally.”
And as yet Kellie is not sure about who she will be attracted to, if anyone.
Collins Photo Agency
Kellie Maloney revealed her pride in her Irish roots in Dublin yesterday
Kellie Maloney has revealed she would never have had the courage to change gender while her Irish father was alive.
The 62-year-old boxing promoter is very proud of her background as her mum 80-year-old mum Maureen was born in Wicklow and her dad Thomas was from Roscrea, Co Tipperary.
But speaking in Dublin yesterday Kellie said she is not sure Thomas would have understood why she had to change and become a woman.
She added: “My mum is a very strong woman. My dad was hardworking and taught us all values but obviously I didn’t tell my dad about the gender issues. I think that was one of my problems, keeping things bottled up for so long.
“I don’t know if he would have understood it because of his background.
“He was a man’s man, he was a great father, he taught us right from wrong. He taught us the importance of working hard and the importance of many things. He taught us everything he didn’t do and I used to say to him, ‘Dad why are you lecturing us because you never did this yourself?’
“And he said, ‘You learn from my mistakes – when you become a parent you can tell your children things to do that you should have done.’ And they were quite true words.”
Kellie said her fears of what her father might think of her meant she kept parts of her life hidden from view.
She revealed: “I had so much respect for my dad that I would have found it very hard. I would have feared seeing him losing that respect for me for what I had achieved in the boxing world.
“But my mother is totally different – she has accepted it and she’s not only my mum she is my best friend. We have been through a lot together and she gives me a lot of help and advice.”
Almost a year after leaving Frank behind to change into Kellie, the boxing promoter says life has changed for the better.
And there is romance on the cards already although Kellie is not sure where it will lead.
She said: “My life is much easier now – it’s much more relaxed and I am very contented.
“I’m not living life anymore pretending to be someone I’m not.”
“I was living a lie, I was trying to be someone I wasn’t and for that reason I didn’t always make the right decisions and I wasn’t always a happiest person to be around. I think I am a better parent now too because I don’t hide anything anymore.”
Sipping on a latte in a Dublin hotel, dressed in sharp cigarette pants and a patterned blouse, Kellie lights up when she talks about enjoying a date or two with actor Lincoln Hudson.
The pair were spotted out last week but it was actually their second meeting and a third is being arranged.
She said: “I went on a date with Lincoln last week and he has asked me out again. And I have said yes. But at the moment they are just dates.
“For me it is very hard - because of what I have been through and the sort of baggage I am carrying. And also I am a very public figure so the person I go out with would have to be a very strong character.
“I am instantly recognisable and I draw attention so I would have to be able to trust that person because I would be opening up to them and I would need to be able to lean on that person emotionally.”
And as yet Kellie is not sure about who she will be attracted to, if anyone.
She said: “It could be a man it could be a woman I don’t know – this journey is not about my sexuality, it’s about my gender. But now that I have found myself I am still on a journey because I have to discover my sexuality or even to see if I want to have a sexual relationship.
“I am quite happy going out to dinner and being wined and dined, being paid compliments. It’s nice.
“Will it develop into a relationship? I don’t know and that’s the truth.
“I find him very good company, I find him easy to go out with.
“He contacted me through Facebook telling me he was a big boxing fan and saying I was very brave. We met in private at my house to have coffee at first and then he sent me a text and asked me to dinner.”
Kellie said her one mistake was choosing a very well-known spot for dinner.
She said: “He let me choose the restaurant and I thought it would be nice to choose one that I used to go to as Frank a lot. I think that was my mistake – next time I will choose somewhere a bit quieter.”
But Kellie said she still compares other men to Frank who looked after himself well.
She revealed: “Frank was quite charismatic and flamboyant. He looked after himself and when I look at men I think, ‘You don’t visit the gym too much, you don’t dress too smartly’.
“I actually judge people on the standards of Frank. But Lincoln’s a decent looking guy.” Frank had great success in the world of boxing but Kellie said Darren Sutherland’s death was one of her darker moments.
She added: “I think that was one of the saddest days of my life and also for the Sutherland family - I have a lot of respect for them and that is why I don’t want to talk about the subject.”
Kellie has written a book about her own experiences, Frankly Kellie, and now she is hoping to repeat Frank’s success in the world of sport, as well as taking on a few other projects. She said: “I have just gone back into boxing – where Frank would have jumped into the water to sink or swim Kellie is just putting her toes in.
“I would like to try and prove that anything I acheived before I can do again as Kellie.
“I might not produce a world champion but if I can produce a champion of some kind I will be very happy.
“I have been asked to do a couple of TV shows but I want to help people to understand the transexual issue.
“It is not about your sexuality it is about your gender. It is two different things.
“My gender is who I go to bed as and my sexuality is who I wake up in bed with. And at this point no one has been in my bed yet so I don’t know my sexuality.” And Kellie reckons going through her transition from Frank to her new life in such a public way has also helped her come to terms with it.
She said: “I think it has helped me get through my crises and made people aware of the transexual issue in a good way. People have seen that I am just a normal person.
“I know in about six months’ time my fame will have faded and I will be able to live a normal life.
Credit: Irish Mirror
