Grace Wilson, player for Adelaide United and the Young Matildas, is being praised for their courage after being the first professional footballer in Australia to openly identify as non-binary.
On Friday, the goalie revealed that they identify as non-binary, and received a lot of support from their fellow players, the team’s managers, and the club’s staff at the A-League Women’s team.
Wilson expressed that this was the initial stage of their journey, but they were met with an amazing response.
The girls responded with kindness and each player gave me a hug. As soon as I shared it, there were cheers and applause – it was a heartwarming moment.
I experienced a strong sense of comfort and support, making it one of the most enjoyable experiences.
Wilson has been recognized as a promising player and recently earned a spot in the Young Matildas team for the upcoming AFC Under-20 Women’s Asian Cup in Uzbekistan.
Wilson expressed that their understanding of gender does not align with traditional binary ideas of male and female. Making this announcement was a significant source of relief for them.
Wilson, the board chair of the Pride Cup, explained to Holly Ransom that each non-binary individual has their own unique experience. They expressed that as a child, they did not conform to the idea that things were designated for either girls or boys, but society taught them otherwise as they matured.
“You don’t realise how much of a difference it makes. Being referred to as ‘they/them’ for the first time gave me this euphoric feeling. I just wanted to be free.”
There may be other players in the ALW who identify as non-binary, but Wilson is the first to come out publicly. AFLW star Darcy Vescio became the second AFLW player to come out as non-binary in 2021, following in the footsteps of Tori Groves-Little.
Adelaide United has previously been outspoken in advocating for gender equality. They showed support for Josh Cavallo, a male player who came out in 2021, making him the only openly gay man playing in a top professional league at that time.
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Last year at the global level, Canada’s midfielder Quinn achieved a groundbreaking feat as the first non-binary and transgender individual to participate in a men’s or women’s World Cup.
On Friday, the Adelaide United Football Club issued a statement expressing their pride in being a leader in promoting equality on and off the field.
The head of football for Adelaide, Marius Zanin, stated: “We fully support Grace and applaud their courage in revealing their true identity to the world.”
Adelaide United believes in creating a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for all individuals, irrespective of their gender identity.
Source: theguardian.com
