Latest news with #AFLW
Courier-Mail
4 hours ago
- Health
- Courier-Mail
AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd ‘so happy' after gender-affirming top surgery
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFLW. Followed categories will be added to My News. AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd has revealed they are 'so happy' and feel so much like themselves after having gender-affirming top surgery during the off-season. The 29-year-old Hawthorn star is the league's first current player to undergo the surgery - which removes breast tissue in a similar way to a double mastectomy - and said they feel so much more comfortable. 'People often have asked me, 'How do I feel now that I've had it' - post-surgery, seeing myself,' Lucas-Rodd, who identifies as non-binary, told ABC Sport. '... for me, it was like, 'this is how I've always looked when I saw myself' … This is what I've always thought and always seen internally.' AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd says they are 'so happy' after undergoing gender affirming top surgery. Picture: Instagram/tillylr Prior to the surgery, Lucas-Rodd was taping or binding their chest and wearing a guernsey multiple sizes too large in order to reduce dysphoria. This practice however, was causing issues, sometimes restricting breathing and movement, and creating back pain. Since returning to training, however, Lucas-Rodd said they are relishing the freedom of not needing a sports bra or chest bindings. 'Going out onto the track in our training guernseys or our singlets, I just feel so, so happy and so just like me,' they said. 'I had huge discomfort around my chest, huge dysphoria. It didn't match up with what I felt internally I should look like.' The halfback came out publicly as non-binary in 2023, saying at the time that they 'don't really identify strongly as my assigned gender at birth, which is female.' 'I don't really feel strongly that I fit into that label as a female, and at the same time I don't feel like I'm a male, either. I guess I'm in between that,' they said in a video shared on the Hawthorn website. 'So for me, the label 'non-binary' feels most comfortable about how I identify in terms of my gender.' Lucas-Rodd said they feel more comfortable and like themselves since returning to training. Picture: Instagram/tillylr The Hawthorn player identifies as non-binary. Picture: Instagram/tillylr Two other AFLW players, Carlton star Darcy Vescio and former Gold Coast player Tori Groves-Little, also identify as non-binary, and two former players have undergone gender-reaffirming top surgery since leaving the league. Lucas-Rodd spoke to their Hawthorn teammates about the surgery when returning to training and said they were met with 'such love and acceptance'. While opening themselves up to public commentary by sharing their story has been nerve-racking, Lucas-Rodd said they hope to help others in a similar position. 'It's also to show gender diverse and trans people that there is a place for them in sport,' they said. 'Coming out publicly with top surgery, people will say and do what they want, but I'm trying to show people that no matter what gender you are, no matter how you express that, no matter anything about you, that you belong in sport and you belong in sport at a professional and elite level. 'That's a big thing for me … being like regardless of your gender and how you express that, there is this place for you in sport.' Since sharing their ABC Sport interview on Instagram, Lucas-Rodd has recieved many messages of support, including from Aussie musician G Flip who said, 'Hells yeah Tilly,' and Wentworth star Zoe Terakes, who shared a series of strong arm and love heart emojis. Originally published as AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd 'so happy' after gender-affirming top surgery
Daily Telegraph
8 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Telegraph
AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd ‘so happy' after gender-affirming top surgery
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFLW. Followed categories will be added to My News. AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd has revealed they are 'so happy' and feel so much like themselves after having gender-affirming top surgery during the off-season. The 29-year-old Hawthorn star is the league's first current player to undergo the surgery - which removes breast tissue in a similar way to a double mastectomy - and said they feel so much more comfortable. 'People often have asked me, 'How do I feel now that I've had it' - post-surgery, seeing myself,' Lucas-Rodd, who identifies as non-binary, told ABC Sport. '... for me, it was like, 'this is how I've always looked when I saw myself' … This is what I've always thought and always seen internally.' AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd says they are 'so happy' after undergoing gender affirming top surgery. Picture: Instagram/tillylr Prior to the surgery, Lucas-Rodd was taping or binding their chest and wearing a guernsey multiple sizes too large in order to reduce dysphoria. This practice however, was causing issues, sometimes restricting breathing and movement, and creating back pain. Since returning to training, however, Lucas-Rodd said they are relishing the freedom of not needing a sports bra or chest bindings. 'Going out onto the track in our training guernseys or our singlets, I just feel so, so happy and so just like me,' they said. 'I had huge discomfort around my chest, huge dysphoria. It didn't match up with what I felt internally I should look like.' The halfback came out publicly as non-binary in 2023, saying at the time that they 'don't really identify strongly as my assigned gender at birth, which is female.' 'I don't really feel strongly that I fit into that label as a female, and at the same time I don't feel like I'm a male, either. I guess I'm in between that,' they said in a video shared on the Hawthorn website. 'So for me, the label 'non-binary' feels most comfortable about how I identify in terms of my gender.' Lucas-Rodd said they feel more comfortable and like themselves since returning to training. Picture: Instagram/tillylr The Hawthorn player identifies as non-binary. Picture: Instagram/tillylr Two other AFLW players, Carlton star Darcy Vescio and former Gold Coast player Tori Groves-Little, also identify as non-binary, and two former players have undergone gender-reaffirming top surgery since leaving the league. Lucas-Rodd spoke to their Hawthorn teammates about the surgery when returning to training and said they were met with 'such love and acceptance'. While opening themselves up to public commentary by sharing their story has been nerve-racking, Lucas-Rodd said they hope to help others in a similar position. 'It's also to show gender diverse and trans people that there is a place for them in sport,' they said. 'Coming out publicly with top surgery, people will say and do what they want, but I'm trying to show people that no matter what gender you are, no matter how you express that, no matter anything about you, that you belong in sport and you belong in sport at a professional and elite level. 'That's a big thing for me … being like regardless of your gender and how you express that, there is this place for you in sport.' Since sharing their ABC Sport interview on Instagram, Lucas-Rodd has recieved many messages of support, including from Aussie musician G Flip who said, 'Hells yeah Tilly,' and Wentworth star Zoe Terakes, who shared a series of strong arm and love heart emojis. Originally published as AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd 'so happy' after gender-affirming top surgery
News.com.au
9 hours ago
- Health
- News.com.au
AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd ‘so happy' after gender-affirming top surgery
AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd has revealed they are 'so happy' and feel so much like themselves after having gender-affirming top surgery during the off-season. The 29-year-old Hawthorn star is the league's first current player to undergo the surgery - which removes breast tissue in a similar way to a double mastectomy - and said they feel so much more comfortable. 'People often have asked me, 'How do I feel now that I've had it' - post-surgery, seeing myself,' Lucas-Rodd, who identifies as non-binary, told ABC Sport. '... for me, it was like, 'this is how I've always looked when I saw myself' … This is what I've always thought and always seen internally.' Prior to the surgery, Lucas-Rodd was taping or binding their chest and wearing a guernsey multiple sizes too large in order to reduce dysphoria. This practice however, was causing issues, sometimes restricting breathing and movement, and creating back pain. Since returning to training, however, Lucas-Rodd said they are relishing the freedom of not needing a sports bra or chest bindings. 'Going out onto the track in our training guernseys or our singlets, I just feel so, so happy and so just like me,' they said. 'I had huge discomfort around my chest, huge dysphoria. It didn't match up with what I felt internally I should look like.' The halfback came out publicly as non-binary in 2023, saying at the time that they 'don't really identify strongly as my assigned gender at birth, which is female.' 'I don't really feel strongly that I fit into that label as a female, and at the same time I don't feel like I'm a male, either. I guess I'm in between that,' they said in a video shared on the Hawthorn website. 'So for me, the label 'non-binary' feels most comfortable about how I identify in terms of my gender.' Two other AFLW players, Carlton star Darcy Vescio and former Gold Coast player Tori Groves-Little, also identify as non-binary, and two former players have undergone gender-reaffirming top surgery since leaving the league. Lucas-Rodd spoke to their Hawthorn teammates about the surgery when returning to training and said they were met with 'such love and acceptance'. While opening themselves up to public commentary by sharing their story has been nerve-racking, Lucas-Rodd said they hope to help others in a similar position. 'It's also to show gender diverse and trans people that there is a place for them in sport,' they said. 'Coming out publicly with top surgery, people will say and do what they want, but I'm trying to show people that no matter what gender you are, no matter how you express that, no matter anything about you, that you belong in sport and you belong in sport at a professional and elite level. 'That's a big thing for me … being like regardless of your gender and how you express that, there is this place for you in sport.' Since sharing their ABC Sport interview on Instagram, Lucas-Rodd has recieved many messages of support, including from Aussie musician G Flip who said, 'Hells yeah Tilly,' and Wentworth star Zoe Terakes, who shared a series of strong arm and love heart emojis.
Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Non-binary footy player becomes first AFLW star to undergo gender-affirming top surgery
Hawthorn AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd has become the first current player in the league to undergo gender-affirming top surgery. The 29-year-old, who came out as non-binary two years ago, revealed they underwent the procedure during the AFLW off-season, describing the experience not as a dramatic transformation, but more like finally aligning their outward appearance with the person they've always seen in the mirror. 'People often ask me, 'How do I feel now that I've had it?' Lucas-Rodd told ABC Sport. 'A lot of people who've had the operation have really big emotions and really big elation. But for me, it was like, 'This is how I've always looked when I saw myself.' 'This is what I've always thought and always seen internally.' The operation, which involves the removal of breast tissue in what is essentially a double mastectomy, also included nipple grafts - something some people opt out of, but which Lucas-Rodd chose to include as part of the procedure. Before surgery, life on and off the field was often a physical and mental struggle. Lucas-Rodd, a former Hawks captain and 2024 All Australian, regularly taped their chest or wore an extremely tight binder - even during games - to flatten their chest and reduce dysphoria. The compression would often restrict breathing, cause back pain, and make movement difficult, but it felt like the lesser of two evils when compared to feeling exposed while playing professional sport on a national stage. 'In the past, I used to wear a guernsey that was at least two sizes too big,' they said. 'Last year, I wore a size medium or large when I was previously an extra small. I had huge discomfort around my chest, huge dysphoria. It didn't match up with what I felt internally I should look like.' That mismatch is now gone. Lucas-Rodd says the joy they feel training and preparing for the new season - set to begin in August - is hard to describe. For the first time in their career, they're stepping out onto the track without a binder, without a sports bra, just wearing their guernsey and feeling completely at ease in their skin. 'I've already felt that during training - being able to just be free, to not wear a sports bra, not wear a binder, just put my jumper on,' they said. 'Going out onto the track in our training guernseys or singlets, I just feel so, so happy and so just like me.' Lucas-Rodd is now the first current AFLW player to undergo top surgery, following in the footsteps of former players El Chaston and Tori Groves-Little, who both had the procedure after being delisted. Two years ago, Lucas-Rodd became the third AFLW player to come out publicly as non-binary - after Groves-Little and Carlton's Darcy Vescio. They told fans in a video shared by Hawthorn: 'I don't really identify strongly as my assigned gender at birth, which is female… I don't feel like I fit into that label, and at the same time I don't feel like I'm a male either. So for me, the label 'non-binary' feels most comfortable.' Since coming out, Lucas-Rodd has continued exploring how they identify, including engaging with aspects of the transmasculine experience. 'Obviously I'm non-binary, but there's transmasc,' they said. 'It's something I'm still exploring and I think that's awesome. That's the thing about your sexuality and gender - it's constantly evolving and ever changing.' In preparing for the surgery, Lucas-Rodd drew strength and support from other players who had walked a similar path. They messaged El Chaston often in the lead-up, asking questions about recovery and the process. But at first, they weren't sure if they'd go public with their decision. 'I was messaging a friend a few weeks ago, and at first I wasn't going to come out publicly,' they said. 'They were just curious and asked, 'Why wouldn't you?' It really made me reflect. What am I scared of? Then I thought, 'They've done it. They were accepted. Why can't I?' While their close friends at Hawthorn were aware of the surgery ahead of time - including teammate Jenna Richardson, who was with them in hospital - the rest of the playing group found out at preseason camp, when Lucas-Rodd decided it was time to tell the full team. 'I knew we'd be doing water-based activities, and in footy, there's a lot of recovery and you're often in bathing suits together,' they said. 'Now the greatest thing is, I don't have to wear anything on top. So I knew going into camp that I'd kind of have to tell the team.' They sent a message to the group and were met with nothing but support. 'I saw them the next day at footy, and there were a few questions and lots of interest… but everyone just met me with such love and acceptance.' Going public with their story, however, brings new challenges - especially as it moves outside the safer spaces of AFLW circles and into the broader AFL community, which can be less welcoming. 'It's nerve-racking,' Lucas-Rodd admitted. 'Whenever I've spoken out on queer issues - whether it be Pride Round or when I came out as non-binary - the comments that were hard to read weren't from the AFLW community. 'They were from the AFL community and the broader Australian public. There was some horrendous stuff online. 'So I've spoken to my family and friends about that - that the broader AFL community will now have comment. It's not just going to be in my safe space of AFLW fans.' Still, they say the decision to speak out is bigger than them. 'When you're doing it for something that's bigger than yourself, you kind of take that and you accept that that's going to happen. 'And I've got really supportive people in my close circle that will shower me with love, and put their arms around me.' Lucas-Rodd says one of their biggest motivations for sharing their experience is to help others who might be going through something similar but lack the support or confidence to speak up. 'For people that might not be able to have these conversations, might not be able to start this process of gender affirming care because they can't talk to people in their own lives, I hope this shows them that they're not alone,' they said. 'It's also to show gender-diverse and trans people that there is a place for them in sport.' They know there will be backlash, but that won't stop them. 'Coming out publicly with top surgery, people will say and do what they want, but I'm trying to show people that no matter what gender you are, no matter how you express that, you belong in sport and you belong at a professional and elite level,' they said. Lucas-Rodd said the dominant feeling post-surgery is one of joy - unfiltered and overwhelming joy. 'If I see myself, especially shirtless, I'm like, 'This rocks,' they laughed. 'Being on the other side now, it's a huge relief. You build it up in your head, and there's nervousness and anxiety - and that's real. But now that I'm here? Yeah, it's amazing.' On the field, Lucas-Rodd was a force for Hawthorn in 2024, delivering a standout season after shifting from midfield to defence. They played every game, averaged more than 20 disposals per match, and finished top five in the league for total kicks. They reached their 75th AFLW game milestone during Hawthorn's first ever finals campaign and capped it all off with a place in the All Australian team.
ABC News
a day ago
- Sport
- ABC News
Hawthorn's AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd undergoes gender affirming top surgery
Over the AFLW off-season, Hawthorn star Tilly Lucas-Rodd underwent top surgery, a gender-affirming procedure that involves the removal of breast tissue in essentially a double mastectomy. "People often have asked me, 'How do I feel now that I've had it' — post surgery seeing myself," Lucas-Rodd told ABC Sport. "A lot of people [who've had the operation] have really big emotions and really big elation. "But for me, it was like, 'this is how I've always looked when I saw myself' … This is what I've always thought and always seen internally." Lucas-Rodd had their nipples put back on with nipple graphs, which some people post-surgery choose not to. Before the surgery, 29-year-old midfielder-turned-halfback would tape their chest or wear a really tight binder, including when they were playing footy. The compression would restrict their rib cage movement, make it hard to breathe and hurt their back. "But the alternative was to feel really uncomfortable on a national stage playing sport — and something that's so public," Lucas-Rodd said, who is an inaugural AFLW player, former Hawks captain and All Australian. Lucas-Rodd even played in a guernsey at least two sizes too big, to hide their body. "Last year I wore, I think, a size medium or large when I was previously an extra small," they said. "I had huge discomfort around my chest, huge dysphoria. It didn't match up with what I felt internally I should look like." Now, Lucas-Rodd beams when thinking about playing this season, which starts in August. "I've already felt that with training and being able to just be free, to not wear a sports bra, not wear a binder, just put my jumper on," they said. "Going out onto the track in our training guernseys or our singlets, I just feel so, so happy and so just like me." Lucas-Rodd is the first current AFLW player to get top surgery. Former players El Chaston (Collingwood, now captain of Essendon's VFLW side) and Tori Grooves-Little (Gold Coast) underwent the procedure after being delisted from their respective clubs. Two years ago, Lucas-Rodd was the third player to come out as non-binary, following in the footsteps of Grooves-Little and Carlton star Darcy Vescio. Through a video posted to Hawthorn's website, Lucas-Rodd told fans: "I don't really identify strongly as my assigned gender at birth, which is female. "I don't really feel strongly that I fit into that label as a female, and at the same time I don't feel like I'm a male, either. I guess I'm in between that. So for me, the label 'non-binary' feels most comfortable about how I identify in terms of my gender." Some people who identify as non-binary also use trans rhetoric, which Lucas-Rodd said they are exploring in their self-identity. "Obviously I'm non-binary, but there's transmasc," they said. "But it's something I'm still exploring and getting to and I think that's awesome. Having other players be outspoken about their surgery journeys helped Lucas-Rodd. They often messaged Chaston leading into their own procedure for advice on recovery timeline and the process. "I was messaging a friend a few weeks ago, and at first I wasn't going to come out publicly, and they were just curious, they said, 'Why wouldn't you?' It really made me reflect. What am I scared of?" they said. "And then seeing two other people that have come from the same path of AFLW do it. I was like, 'Why can't I?' They've done it and they were accepted. So I could be the next one to do that." A lot of people in Lucas-Rodd's own life don't know they've had the surgery yet. "How do you bring it up?" they said. "It's daunting having to come out to individual people". While their close friends at the club knew about the surgery prior to it — defender Jenna Richarson was in the hospital recovery room — the rest of the Hawks' playing group and staff found out at preseason camp. "I knew that we were going to be doing water based activities and things like that — and also, being football, you do a lot of recovery, and are in the water a lot, in your bathing suits together — and for me, now the greatest thing is I don't have to wear anything on top," they said. "So I knew going into camp that I'd kind of have to tell the team. "I messaged the group and they were amazing. I saw them the next day at footy, and there were a few questions and lots of interest … But everyone just met me with such love and acceptance." It is, however, a daunting prospect for Lucas-Rodd having the wider AFL community learn about their story. "Nerve-racking," is the word they use. "Whenever I've spoken out on queer issues, whether it be Pride Round or when I came out as non binary a few years ago, the comments that were hard to read were from probably not the AFLW community, it was the AFL and the broader Australian community," they said. "There was some horrendous stuff (on X and Facebook). So I've definitely spoken to my family and friends about that, that possibility the broader AFL community will now have comment. It's not going to be in my safe space of just AFLW fans. "But when you're doing it for something that's bigger than yourself, you kind of take that and you accept that that's going to happen. "And I've got really supportive people in my close circle that will shower me with love, and put their arms around me." Lucas-Rodd wanted to share their story for others who might be able to relate or feel seen. "For people that might not be able to have these conversations, might not be able to start this process of gender affirming care, because they can't have those conversations with people in their own lives," they said. "It's also to show gender diverse and trans people that there is a place for them in sport. "Coming out publicly with top surgery, people will say and do what they want, but I'm trying to show people that no matter what gender you are, no matter how you express that, no matter anything about you, that you belong in sport and you belong in sport at a professional and elite level. "That's a big thing for me … being like regardless of your gender and how you express that, there is this place for you in sport." The main emotion tied to Lucas-Rodd's surgery is joy. "If I see myself, especially shirtless, I'm like, 'This rocks,'" they said. "Being on the other side now, it's a huge relief. You can kind of build it up in your head, and obviously there's nervousness and anxiety, and that's a real thing. "There's real reasons you feel that. But being on the other side, yeah, it's amazing."
