AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd ‘so happy’ after gender-affirming top surgery

Non-binary Hawthorn star Tilly Lucas-Rodd has spoken about undergoing gender-affirming top surgery during the AFLW off-season.

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.