In the last few weeks the AFL has been a point of controversy in its handling of players casually using homophobic slurs. With players receiving varied consequences, supporters of the game seem confused by the actions of the AFL. Above all else though, this most recent controversy has raised a few concerns around the lack of openly proud players within the league and why this may be the case.
The NRL has openly gay players, and the AFLW does too. But since the game was first codified in 1859, there has not been a single openly gay or bisexual player. That was until yesterday. Former West Coast Eagles defender, Mitch Brown, publicly came out yesterday as to speak about his experience being a bisexual man playing in the AFL. Brown played during 2007 to 2016 and played a total 94 games for the Eagles. It’s been nine years since his retirement and yesterday he chose to sit down with The Daily Aus to speak about his experience.
Brown shared in the interview that he experienced homophobia within the league which pushed him into concealing his sexuality. Mitch Brown even stated that this homophobia and the inability to feel like himself was a contributor in his decision to retire at the age of 28.
“There’s been so many times in my life that I’ve seen things or heard things and not said anything, in fear of people thinking that I was gay or bisexual,… I got to the end of my career, and I was asked to play on for a couple more years, and I was over it. I was done,… The fear was so strong. The fear of being caught out. You don’t dare, scared of being outed or someone calling you gay. And then because I wasn’t ready, I wasn’t confident in my identity and who I was, my natural reaction would be to suppress that to project my masculinity even more.” – Mitch Brown (Interviewed on The Daily Aus)
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon has himself received much criticism in the past few weeks over the handling of Izak Rankine’s banning over using a homophobic slur towards a Collingwood player. Many fans are confused why he was handed a lesser punishment than others who’ve committed the same offence. On the day Brown came out to the public Dillon praised his actions and said:
“Mitch has shown great courage today in sharing his story and personal journey. This is an important moment for him, and for our entire game,… Today is a step forward, and building on Mitch’s story we hope that others feel encouraged to be their authentic selves and share their own journeys, and that these stories are met with support from teammates, clubs and the wider football community. The AFL will continue to partner with our clubs, our Pride and Allies groups and the LGBTQI+ community to drive and celebrate inclusion across both our AFL and AFLW competitions. Together, our commitment is to keep making football an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone to thrive — and that work never stops.” – Andrew Dillon (AFL CEO)
