Transgender footy player Mia Smith flying high with new ‘family’ of teammates

Transgender footy player Mia Smith says life couldn’t get any better at her new club, with her teammates becoming like family to her.

Mia Smith is a Western Football League’s first transgender player and says her teammates have become like family. Picture: Wayne Taylor

It’s taken Mia Smith a couple of years to get her playing registration at North Sunshine Football Club, but she’s loving every bump and bruise she gets on the field.

Ms Smith, 53, a transgender woman, has been “flying high” since joining the team, which mostly consists of players in their 20s.

“If life gets any better I’ll be dumbfounded,” she said.

“It’s great to be there to support the girls. They are like a family to me and treat me normally and that’s all I could ask for.”

It’s been a tough road since Ms Smith started transitioning four years ago — a journey that’s included three years of unemployment and a move to North Sunshine from Geelong.

She met her new teammates while working at The Pride Bar in Footscray.

“I told them that if they supported my work, then I’d support theirs,” Ms Smith said.

It’s taken time for her application to join the team to be finalised, but now she’s on the field, and ready for action.

“They were concerned about my hurting women given my size and strength difference. But I fit within their criteria and am within their testosterone levels,” she said.

Smith says life couldn’t get any better at her new club. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Ms Smith is a former bowling mechanic who now empties portaloos for a living – a self-described “stool bus” driver.

She is nearly six foot and weighs 90kg but said she was “by no means an athlete – on training nights I come home covered in bruises”.

Ms Smith is a representative of The North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network’s Speaking Up Speaks Volumes campaign, which is aiming to boost the mental health and wellbeing of LGBTIQ+ people and prevent suicide.

The network’s CEO Chris Carter said the simple act of showing support can be a catalyst for great change.

“It’s a domino effect – the more people that openly show their support for LGBTIQ+ communities, the more other people feel comfortable to do the same,” he said.

“With that simple step, we can go a long way to creating a safer, healthier and more welcoming environment for everyone.”

The campaign intends to get more people to share positive stories of when speaking up has helped someone, or when someone else speaking up has helped.

Michael Mckenzie, vice president of the North Sunshine Football Club, said his club had a

“zero tolerance for discrimination, abuse or bullying”.

Originally published as Transgender footy player Mia Smith flying high with new ‘family’ of teammates