This excerpt from the Stan Original documentary Revealed: Danielle Laidley – Two Tribes sees a trans woman return to the sport that gave her a career before her transition. It also shows AFL, a sport that has taken a stronger stand against homophobia, making more efforts to welcome LGBTQIA+ communities to the fold. Danielle Laidley (‘Dani’) has been invited to the Triple M radio commentary booth, and we see her calmly and openly responding to the questions of her male colleagues about trans lives before commenting on the match.

Through her voice-over, we get a sense of how nervous Laidley was and what this opportunity to return to the sport she loves means to her. Her trepidation is partly about how listeners will perceive her voice, and we sense that a negative reaction might undermine her comfort with her new identity. It's a vulnerable moment that unpacks the complex implications of an aural medium like radio for trans identity.

The clip speaks to the documentary’s overall theme of Laidley reclaiming her identity and story after she was outed without her permission by a Victoria Police officer in May 2020, while being arrested and charged on one count of stalking (after spending time in a diversion program, no conviction was recorded).

AFL has been Laidley’s life. Besides being part of the North Melbourne team that won the 1996 Grand Final, Laidley played for the West Coast Eagles and took on coaching roles with several teams after she retired from the field, including North Melbourne.

Note: Revealed: Danielle Laidley – Two Tribes uses Danielle’s former name, pronouns and images with her permission.

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