Danielle Laidley is the most prominent transgender person in the country AKA Dean Laidley who played 151 games for West Coast Eagles and North Melbourne football clubs, winning an AFL premiership with the Kangaroos in 1996. She became one of the youngest senior coaches ever at 36, coaching North Melbourne for 149 games across seven seasons.
Her amazing career and personal life were never what they seemed on the surface. Danielle faced a private and lifelong battle with gender dysphoria and that constant struggle with her identity had led to legal troubles and addiction issues.
Her transition was publicly exposed without her consent by the St Kilda police when photos were taken and sadly distributed publicly, but this was just the start of her incredible journey.
Danielle’s captivating life story is now a documentary, Two Tribes is now streaming on Stan or you can read all about it, in her revealing memoir Don’t look away.