Ellia Green realized as a young child B次元官网网址� long before becoming an Olympic champion B次元官网网址� that a personB次元官网网址檚 identity and a gender assigned at birth can be very different things.

Now, about 20 years later, one of the stars of AustraliaB次元官网网址檚 gold medal-winning womenB次元官网网址檚 rugby sevens team at the 2016 Olympics has transitioned to male.

Green, who has kept the same name, told The Associated Press it was the best decision of his life. Realizing that sharing his experience could be lifesaving for others is what to be shown Tuesday to participants at an international summit on ending transphobia and homophobia in sport. The summit is being hosted in Ottawa as part of the Bingham Cup rugby tournament.

The only other transgender or gender diverse Olympic gold medalists are Caitlyn Jenner and Quinn, who goes by one name and was part of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 winning womenB次元官网网址檚 soccer team in Tokyo last year.

Seeing so few trans athletes at the elite level and so much negative commentary on social media, particularly since World RugbyB次元官网网址檚 decision to bar transgender women from playing womenB次元官网网址檚 rugby, hastened GreenB次元官网网址檚 push to highlight the harm those things can cause some children.

Most importantly, itB次元官网网址檚 an attempt to draw attention to a serious health issue B次元官网网址� some studies say more than 40% of trans youth had considered attempting suicide.

The 29-year-old Green has admitted to being in a B次元官网网址渄ark placeB次元官网网址� after retiring from rugby at the end of 2021.

B次元官网网址淭his is what happened to me,B次元官网网址� Green told The AP. B次元官网网址淧retty much my rugby career ended and I had been in and out of mental health facilities for serious issues. My depression hit a new level of sadness.B次元官网网址�

HeB次元官网网址檚 in a much better place now with his partner, Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts, and their infant daughter, Waitui.

B次元官网网址淰anessa was pregnant and having to come to hospital to visit,B次元官网网址� Green said. B次元官网网址淚 was having bad episodes. ThatB次元官网网址檚 the last time I want her to have to see me like that. But the only way to help heal is to talk about it B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檇 like to help someone not feel so isolated by telling my story.B次元官网网址�

The story has been a difficult one at times. Green, who was assigned female at birth, was adopted by Yolanta and Evan Green and moved to Australia from Fiji at age 3. Recalling later childhood memories of domestic violence, seeing Yolanta being abused in another relationship, Green said B次元官网网址渃aused a lot of long-lasting trauma.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 guess from witnessing that, I knew from an early age that was not (the kind of) relationship I wanted to have, but it shaped me to know how a woman should be treated,B次元官网网址� Green said. B次元官网网址淚 do believe that even through traumatic circumstances there was a lot to learn from it.B次元官网网址�

It was also a childhood that for Green was marked by an overwhelming realization.

B次元官网网址淎s a kid I remember I thought I was a boy in public, I had a short (haircut) and whenever we met new people they thought I was a boy,B次元官网网址� Green says. B次元官网网址淚 always used to wear my brotherB次元官网网址檚 clothes, played with tools, and ran around with no shirt on. Until I grew breasts, and I thought B次元官网网址榦h noB次元官网网址�.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淢y mom would dress me in girlie outfits B次元官网网址� I always wanted to make her happy, so if she wanted me to wear a dress, I wore a dress.B次元官网网址�

Yolanta also helped channel Green into sports, and excellence as a sprinter in track and field eventually led to a professional career in rugby. The all-action seven-a-side form of rugby made its Olympic debut at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and the womenB次元官网网址檚 competition was held first, with Australia beating New Zealand in the final to win the inaugural gold medal. Green, a flying winger, was among the stars of the show.

All the while, though, the deeper feelings were becoming clearer for Green and really peaked after announcing the decision to retire from rugby last November, a few months after missing selection for the Australian womenB次元官网网址檚 team for the delayed Tokyo Olympics.

B次元官网网址淚 spent a lot of time after I finished up my career with Australian rugby just in the house, in a dark room, I didnB次元官网网址檛 have the confidence to see anyone,B次元官网网址� Green says in the video pre-recorded for the summit.

B次元官网网址淚 was ashamed of myself, I felt I had let a lot of people down, especially myself and my mom. I felt like a complete failure, it was heartbreaking,B次元官网网址� Green added, explaining the feelings that lingered after being left off the Olympic team. B次元官网网址淭he one thing that did keep me positive is that I had already planned my surgery and treatment towards my transition. It was something I was counting down the days with my partner.B次元官网网址�

Now Green wants to advocate for others, emphasizing the harm that can be caused when sporting bans are introduced and how those policies can amplify negativity toward trans and gender diverse people.

B次元官网网址淏anning transgender people from sport is disgraceful and hurtful,B次元官网网址� Green says. B次元官网网址淚t only means the rates of suicide and mental health issues will get even worse.B次元官网网址�

GreenB次元官网网址檚 comments coincide with the release of a study by the University of British Columbia in Canada and Monash University in Melbourne, Australia which shows a disconnect between rugbyB次元官网网址檚 leaders and the women who play rugby. The survey shows that while about 30% of women think trans women have an unfair advantage they overwhelmingly do not support banning trans athletes from rugby.

Playing rugby at any level, or even coaching, is not on GreenB次元官网网址檚 radar for now. HeB次元官网网址檚 currently working at the Sydney International Container Terminal B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址渙n the wharves,B次元官网网址� he says, B次元官网网址� but is also studying for a university degree in international security and has ambitions to be advising companies on general and cyber security.

For now, Green says heB次元官网网址檚 a B次元官网网址渇ull-time daddy, and itB次元官网网址檚 hard, maybe harderB次元官网网址� than anything heB次元官网网址檚 done. He also credits partner Vanessa, who has a law degree and is now doing her doctorate B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址渟heB次元官网网址檚 inspired me every single day.B次元官网网址�

Green hopes his story will inspire other trans people to be confident in their decisions about who they want to be.

B次元官网网址淚 just knew it was going to be the most liberating feeling when I had that surgery and to be in the body I knew I had to be,B次元官网网址� Green says in the video. B次元官网网址淭hat was a bright spark in my mind during these dark times facing demons, but I knew there was light at the end of the tunnel.B次元官网网址�

He adds in the AP telephone interview: B次元官网网址淚 knew something that would make me really happy is that, No. 1, I am going to live the rest of my life with my partner and my daughter. And that I am going to live the rest of my life as her dad.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擠ennis Passa, The Associated Press