The courageous Grace Wilson, a goalkeeper for the Young Matildas and Adelaide United, became the first professional player in Australia to come clean about her gender identity.
Her teammates and the management of the club supported her.
Wilson said that coming out was the first step in her journey, and she was overwhelmed by the support she received from her teammates.
She also thanked her coach and the people of Adelaide United for their support.
The 20-year-old was recently selected to play for the Young Matildas, which will participate in the Asian Cup in Uzbekistan.
According to Wilson, her and her teammates’ perception of gender is not in line with what’s expected of women and men in Western society.
She said that coming out has been a huge relief for them. She added that every non-binary individual experiences this differently.
It felt like the first time that people referred to me as “they/them” gave me an euphoric feeling.
Although there are other players in the Australian Football League (AFL) who identify as nonbinary, Wilson is the first individual to come out publicly in the league.
In 2021, AFLW player Darcy Vescio came out as a non-binary individual.
In the past, the club Adelaide United supported gender equality.
When former player Josh Cavallo came out in 2021, becoming the first openly gay player in the top flight of professional football, the team was supportive.