The AFL is great at tackling racism. But what about sexism?
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Version 0 of 1. It's been 20 years since St Kilda great Nicky Winmar proudly exposed his brown skin on the football field, refusing to tolerate racism. That gesture changed the landscape of Australian football forever. In an attempt to address racial vilification on the field, the AFL instituted anti-racism policies. They've also developed full-ranging Indigenous programmes targeting everything from player recruitment, to mentorship and career readiness beyond football. Since 2007, the annual “Dreamtime at the ‘G” match has been held during Reconciliation Week. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players currently make up 11% of the player lists; four times the population parity rates. In short, the AFL has moved from accepting racial sledging as part of the game to throwing out fans who make racist remarks. Although Winmar himself expresses disappointment that racism still persists, it is clear that the AFL has made great strides to combat it, and will continue to grow and learn in this respect. As an Aboriginal woman, I should feel buoyed by these positive moves. And yet, I don't. I can't bring myself to watch games because for all the AFL's advances on racial equality, they have yet properly tackle sexism. Their respect and responsibility policy was launched in 2005, but there's little evidence of it making an impact. Putting a stop to behaviours that harm women and a culture that excuses it seems to be an aeon away, and until the AFL's moves in this area amount to more than lip service and campaign endorsement, I doubt I will come back to the fold. Two weeks ago, it was announced that some current players from Winmar's old club had approached club sponsors and prominent supporters in attempts to raise money for the legal defence of ex-player Stephen Milne. In November, magistrate Peter Reardon ruled there was sufficient evidence for Milne to stand trial on three rape charges dating back to 2004. Milne's innocence or guilt is for a impartial jury to decide once they have heard this evidence. What is undeniable, however, is that his teammates think little of the right for the accuser to also have a fair and impartial hearing. It was not enough that two of his teammates took to the airwaves to state that Milne was the “heart and soul of the club” and that they "supported him fully”. Now they're actively sending a message that any woman who dares to pursue sexual assault charges against a player will face full might of a united team with abundant media coverage at their disposal and money to burn. To make matters worse, just weeks after they sought these donations, the Club was pledging their support for White Ribbon Day. Did the players claiming to support Milne pause to consider that it might make their club look hypocritical? Considering that this is just one sexual assault case, and in recent history not a single one of the more than 30 allegations of sexual assault made against AFL players have ended in conviction, I question the environments AFL clubs are creating, and what chance any woman has when seeking justice under these circumstances. Sometimes, embedded sexism is more subtle. Take the annual Brownlow Award night coverage. Every year, red carpet commentators state how Brownlow night is “the ladies' chance to shine”. If this were true, then wouldn't we instead be watching televised coverage of the awards night for the Victorian Women's Football League? What the commentators really mean here is that the women accompanying the players; or “WAGs” as they are disrespectfully referred to; will be admired for their choice in garments and will be invited to parade said garments by posing or, occasionally, by standing on a turntable. The next day, they will have their appearance graded out of 10 by the tabloids. To the AFL, the commercial stations, the tabloid newspapers and the general public who lap up, it is clear that women “shining” equates to women looking good. The individual accomplishments of these women is irrelevant. Of course, there are players who break meat-head mould. Earlier this year, Heritier Lumumba dealt with negative fallout when he took a stand against sexist language used in a team meeting. Generally speaking however, and regardless of the fact that women currently make up a third of the members and up to a half of the viewers, the culture of the AFL remains sexist and exclusionary. It fosters “mateship” over justice and human rights. When woman aren't decorative, they're locked out or stood against. One devoted women's round in 2013 does not equate to creating space for women. I applaud the AFL for their ongoing work addressing racial discrimination. Without their leadership, and without people like Winmar taking a stand, workplaces nationwide may not have also looked at office culture when it comes to issues of race. The AFL's programmes in this respect have reaped numerous benefits. The constant stream of star players from diverse backgrounds is proof of this. This work doesn't, however, stop me fantasising about the day players stage a mass walkout due to their collective refusal to put up with embedded sexism. Until the AFL starts properly addressing sexism fostered within the club rooms, and looking at how this sexism spills over into supporter attitudes, it will remain a hostile territory for me. And women will continue to be harmed due to their lack of real leadership. Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |