Exclusive details
WNBA star Layshia Clarendon has undergone a successful operation to have her breasts removed – and is now being made public in the hope of inspiring other trans athletes.
Clarendon – which identifies as non-binary – uses all pronouns (she / she / they / they / he / she).
In other words … by the standards of society, Layshia is comfortable being referred to as a woman … but personally she does not identify with just one specific gender.
Sources near Layshia say the 29-year-old NY Liberty star underwent breast removal surgery (also known as ‘top surgery’) in early January and is recovering well.
“I feel free and euphoric in my body and want Trans people to know and see that we have always existed and no one can wipe us out,” Layshia said in a statement.
You may be wondering … are there any issues with the WNBA, which has the “W” for “Women” in the name of the league?
The short answer is no.
We are told Layshia was in contact with the league and there are ZERO problems with her status as a player.
As one source near Layshia explained to us: “Layshia does not identify as a man. They do not travel to a destination. Gender is actually a spectrum.”
One of the main reasons why Layshia is known for her story … we are told Layshia wants to start a “very genuine, inclusive, sensitive conversation about how to include people in sports, instead of how to exclude them” . “
“Trans youth want to participate in sports … let’s have the conversation.”
Layshia was a first-round pick in the 2013 WNBA draft – and was an All-Star in 2017.