Mitch Brown, a former West Coast Eagles player, has become the first male AFL player, past or present, to come out as gay or bisexual. The 36-year-old, who played 94 games for the Eagles between 2007 and 2016, identifies as bisexual and is in a long-term relationship with a woman.
Brown said he hopes his announcement will help others in the sport feel seen and contribute to changing the culture within the AFL. 'Maybe a second person [comes out], and then the third… You may be playing with someone who’s in the queer community. Empathy is powerful,' he told The Daily Aus.
Brown’s decision to come out comes amid ongoing issues with homophobic slurs in the AFL, with Adelaide’s Izak Rankine among the latest players suspended for such language. Brown said he had 'buried' questions about his own sexuality due to the 'hyper-masculine' environment and that slurs were so constant they 'just became part of the normal conversation'.
The announcement was widely welcomed, with the AFL Players’ Association calling it 'powerful' and Pride Cup CEO Hayley Conway describing it as 'an incredibly significant moment for LGBTIQ+ communities and for AFL'. Former player Kate McCarthy said she did not think she would ever see a male AFL player come out, calling it 'extremely courageous'.
Dr Erik Denison, a behavioural scientist at Monash University, said Brown’s direct criticism of the homophobic environment could be a watershed moment. 'He’s talking openly about the homophobic environment being a factor in him deciding to retire from the game. We haven’t heard that kind of direct criticism before,' Denison said.
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon acknowledged Brown’s courage and said the moment was important for the game. 'Today is a step forward, and building on Mitch’s story we hope that others feel encouraged to be their authentic selves,' Dillon said.
