Transsexual eyes Australian rules football

An Aussie Rules fan is about to become Australia's first transsexual to play competitive football. Will, 25, was born a woman and had a sex change two years ago. Since then the Collingwood supporter has been desperate to play football.

He has been spurred on by former Magpies captain Nathan Buckley who told him, "Don't be afraid to be yourself."

Will, who did not want to use his full name, recently met with Victorian Country Football League president Glenn Scott, who told him he could play, but for insurance purposes he would have to legally change the gender on his birth certificate to male.



Mr Scott promised to educate players on transgender issues in a bid to ensure he was not vilified.

Will, 25, hopes to play in the Bendigo Football League and says he does not want special treatment. "I'm just an ordinary guy who wants to play football, just with slightly different circumstances of how I came to be a guy," he said.

Will has had a double mastectomy and is taking hormones to deepen his voice and boost hair growth. However, he does not feel the technology is advanced enough to create a functioning penis.