AFLW and sexism

[Mattdougie]

Sport is all about the stories, the narratives, the human drama. Becoming engaged in a new sporting competition takes a bit of effort. A year ago I had no interest in the NBA, until I took a bit of time to learn about the teams, the players and the stories. I'm only interested in the AFL because I know the teams, players and stories inside out. I hear about them on the news every day, I read about them on here, I talk about them with friends.

When the AFLW first started I didn't know anything about the players. I didn't know the names, the backstories, the dramas. Now with a little bit of effort to attend games and pay attention to news stories, I become more engaged in the competition with every passing season. People who are keen to see the league grow and succeed will do the same, and most will become engaged and begin to enjoy it. Some won't bother. There are many possible reasons for this: no interest in the AFL in general, not enough time to commit to another sporting competition, a societally ingrained lack of respect for female athletes, a reactionary longing for the maintenance of old social hierarchies, a desire to be seen as a "free-thinker" and a contrarian (ie. not an SJW lemming). Some of these are totally innocent, and some of them aren't.

Not being interested in the AFLW isn't inherently sexist. Commenting on the standard of it isn't inherently sexist. But your reasons for doing so may well be. And we should all think about what our own reasons really are.

I think my problem is I’m a “sport snob”!

I just cannot watch what I see as sub par sport and this is not defined by gender. I will admit I struggle to watch female sport of any sort due to this but I have enjoyed some Matilda’s and Opals games especially against good opposition.

That being said I struggle to watch Big Bash cricket, A League OR NBL, they just just do anything for me.

I also cannot watch rubbish games of AFL. Ive turned games off frequent and even left games early because the standard is garbage.

 

[MYOB]

I think my problem is I’m a “sport snob”!

I just cannot watch what I see as sub par sport and this is not defined by gender. I will admit I struggle to watch female sport of any sort due to this but I have enjoyed some Matilda’s and Opals games especially against good opposition.

Well that's a shame because you missed out on 2 of the best sporting matches of the summer - the two WBBL semi finals

 

[Mattdougie]

Well that's a shame because you missed out on 2 of the best sporting matches of the summer - the two WBBL semi finals

Nah BBL of any description is about the worst sport I’ve ever seen.

And it’s ruining test cricket

 

[lachy]

Nah BBL of any description is about the worst sport I’ve ever seen.

And it’s ruining test cricket

Agree fully with this.

It is not sexist to not like AFLW.

It is also not sexist to state the obvious about the standard.

It is sexist to compare as there has been a lack of opportunity for women up to the last decade due to their sex.

You have definatley not been sexist in this thread at all.

I like watching the dogs team only because it is a dogs team. The ladies have a decent crack and over time the professionalism and game will improve.

Would I watch it over the Mens team, no way. But then again I have followed that team all of my life. Would I watch it over AFLX, absolutely that is not any form of football. It is worse than 20 20 cricket both mens sports like products I have no interest in though I love football and cricket

 

[bullish23]

From time to time I watch the AFLW if the dogs are playing. There are good players, and some very ordinary ones.

The AFL can’t have it both ways. They have gone on the marketing blitz, lined up FTA broadcasters, and gotten the Herald Sun on side etc. All perpetrating the line of equality and bringing women’s sport to the fore. That’s fine, but as soon as you do that, you also open yourself up to criticism if the product is below standard, which it is compared to the Women’s sport we can also see from time to time on TV i.e the W League (matilda’s), netball league etc. Then they whinge and whine when criticism is made.

The AFL and those from the AFLW constantly on the defensive, should remember high quality Women’s sport was long around before the AFLW came on the scene. In summary the AFL overhyped and over-sold the product to prove how socially progressive they were, and now get all defensive when people rightly point out its shortcomings. (And i am not talking about the jerks online who post women should be in the kitchen etc).

 

[ScragCity]

One look at their profile.

How is their ethnicity relevant here?

 

[Yojimbo]

I dont watch the womens game for the same reason I dont watch local footy or VFL. I just dont enjoy it as much as I enjoy AFL so when AFL isnt on Id rather watch something other than footy. However, I think its great that the WAFL exists. Obviously a lot of people do enjoy watching it and a lot of women want a chance to play footy at a higher level than local leagues. I think the point at which you may want to question whether or not youre sexist is when you actively dislike the WAFL or if its existence makes you feel threatened or angry. Not watching it and being indifferent about it is fine, but you already knew that.

WAFL: Western Australian Football League.
AFLW: Women's Competition.

Local footy is dying,
Women's footy is flying.

 

[ScragCity]

WAFL: Western Australian Football League.
AFLW: Women's Competition.

Local footy is dying,
Women's footy is flying.

Local footy sucks
Women's footy is for cucks

 

[DJMac]

One look at their profile.

Really? Some sites ask for gender but I don’t ever remember being asked to include race in a profile.

 

[ScragCity]

Really? Some sites ask for gender but I don’t ever remember being asked to include race in a profile.

I think "white male" is just the trendy SJW term to describe anyone who doesn't subscribe to the same ideologies as they do or indulge in thinly-veiled virtue signalling.

 

[Leon]

I think "white male" is just the trendy SJW term to describe anyone who doesn't subscribe to the same ideologies as they do or indulge in thinly-veiled virtue signalling.

No, it’s a very accurate term and stereotype for males who are offended and have massive chips on their shoulders about being male whenever there is any sort of suggestion that males ought to stop being knobheads.


Gillette ad comes out suggesting men ought to treat women better = bunch of men have a massive cry and promise to boycott Gillette.

AFLW is played = bunch of men have a massive cry and troll their arses off because they are offended that women are playing footy.

Idea is floated that perhaps 26 January is not the ideal day for Australia Day as it’s a painful day for Indigenois Australians = bunch of white men have a massive cry, get offended, tell Aboriginals to get over it etc etc

In general, men have got it pretty good in today’s society, so perhaps they ought to stop complaining and lose the chip on their shoulders.

 

[ScragCity]

No, it’s a very accurate term and stereotype for males who are offended and have massive chips on their shoulders about being male whenever there is any sort of suggestion that males ought to stop being knobheads.


Gillette ad comes out suggesting men ought to treat women better = bunch of men have a massive cry and promise to boycott Gillette.

AFLW is played = bunch of men have a massive cry and troll their arses off because they are offended that women are playing footy.

Idea is floated that perhaps 26 January is not the ideal day for Australia Day as it’s a painful day for Indigenois Australians = bunch of white men have a massive cry, get offended, tell Aboriginals to get over it etc etc

In general, men have got it pretty good in today’s society, so perhaps they ought to stop complaining and lose the chip on their shoulders.

Ted Whitten
Bob Murphy
Marcus Bontempelli

What do they all have in common? They're all literally white males.

White males: 1
Minorities, women, SJWs: 0

 

[Mattdougie]

No, it’s a very accurate term and stereotype for males who are offended and have massive chips on their shoulders about being male whenever there is any sort of suggestion that males ought to stop being knobheads.


Gillette ad comes out suggesting men ought to treat women better = bunch of men have a massive cry and promise to boycott Gillette.

AFLW is played = bunch of men have a massive cry and troll their arses off because they are offended that women are playing footy.

Idea is floated that perhaps 26 January is not the ideal day for Australia Day as it’s a painful day for Indigenois Australians = bunch of white men have a massive cry, get offended, tell Aboriginals to get over it etc etc

In general, men have got it pretty good in today’s society, so perhaps they ought to stop complaining and lose the chip on their shoulders.

Lol wow

I’m not even going to respond because this is so unbelievably condescending it’s ....

Nope I’m not going to

 

[JiggaDog]

No, it’s a very accurate term and stereotype for males who are offended and have massive chips on their shoulders about being male whenever there is any sort of suggestion that males ought to stop being knobheads.


Gillette ad comes out suggesting men ought to treat women better = bunch of men have a massive cry and promise to boycott Gillette.

AFLW is played = bunch of men have a massive cry and troll their arses off because they are offended that women are playing footy.

Idea is floated that perhaps 26 January is not the ideal day for Australia Day as it’s a painful day for Indigenois Australians = bunch of white men have a massive cry, get offended, tell Aboriginals to get over it etc etc

In general, men have got it pretty good in today’s society, so perhaps they ought to stop complaining and lose the chip on their shoulders.

White male - the only demographic for which it is permissible to stereotype and denigrate.

Replace the word white with any colour or the word male with any gender (I maintain there are only 2, but I digress) and you'd have any number of people calling you a something -----phobe or -----ist.

But because we are "privileged" or as you put it, "got it pretty good in today's society", it's all good right? Play on?

Funny how the SJW's are incapable of seeing their reflection in the mirror ....

 

[footscray1973]

Ted Whitten
Bob Murphy
Marcus Bontempelli

What do they all have in common? They're all literally white males.

White males: 1
Minorities, women, SJWs: 0

If you're talking about private lives and how they treat women though, one of those is not like the others...

 

[Mattdougie]

White male - the only demographic for which it is permissible to stereotype and denigrate.

Replace the word white with any colour or the word male with any gender (I maintain there are only 2, but I digress) and you'd have any number of people calling you a something -----phobe or -----ist.

But because we are "privileged" or as you put it, "got it pretty good in today's society", it's all good right? Play on?

Funny how the SJW's are incapable of seeing their reflection in the mirror ....

Yep apparently even good WHITE men shouldn’t have an issue with constantly being told they aren’t doing enough and are basically responsible for all the evils in this world.

And god forbid they defend themselves because that massive chip in their shoulders may fall off.

Maybe someone can point me to the ad, article or media that tells woman to treat men better? Obviously not needed because every woman treats their man perfectly

 

[Leon]

Lol wow

I’m not even going to respond because this is so unbelievably condescending it’s ....

Nope I’m not going to

Hmmm yes, good thing you’ve never been condescending on here hey

 

[Mattdougie]

Hmmm yes, good thing you’ve never been condescending on here hey

Lol this isn’t about me and I actually don’t think I’ve ever said anything as stupid as your post, and that’s saying something.

You don’t even realise how racist that comment was. It’s beyond anyone that thinks that way to understand it works both ways because they beat their PC drum and can’t/won’t hear the other side.

White privilege is as much a braindead theory as the gender pay gap is.

But pray tell what defines a “white” male? I have an Asian great grandmother and an my grandmother is from Israel. Am I part of your white male group ?

Lol I know you will either not answer or deflect like all PC warriors do so I don’t expect an answer.

 

[Leon]

I’m done with this thread, you all keep going on complaining about how hard your lives as men are, you bunch of victims.

 

[Mattdougie]

I’m done with this thread, you all keep going on complaining about how hard your lives as men are, you bunch of victims.

Lol and that is exactly what I expected

You throw out a generalisation you can’t back up and then run away.

Pick up your dummy on the way out

 

[Leon]

Pick up your dummy on the way out

Says the biggest whiner on this forum

 

[Mattdougie]

Says the biggest whiner on this forum

Yep deflect deflect deflect

This isn’t about me, this is about your comment that you don’t have the stones to justify because you can’t.

Anyway off topic I’m done with you, i will waddle off to everything my white privilege has earned me and laugh at how weak some people are.

Have a great evening

 

[DogNabbit]

i think part of the issue is wanting simple answer's to complex questions, does disliking the game make you sexist no, but even that isnt the question there's really multiple questions being asked both explicitly and implicitly; it's is it fair that people have a go at people who deride the quality of the product, is the advertising and marketing over the top for it (ie being shoved down your throat), which then again becomes a question of sports advertisements and the gender ratios within that, then its is there uneven funding for local footy vs womens afl.

some of those thoughts are fair, i personally don't invest as much in women's football as i do the men's, but i also think there's some knee jerk reactions among some of those sentiments, sport doesn't just exist as a product of consumption its a societal experience, like its been mentioned we don't watch the best team every week just because they play the best quality product we watch a team that we feel connected to, that we identify with . some people feel more connected to women's footy than men's i think in turn they feel that criticism of the sport more keenly and feel that its unfair, perhaps reacting accordingly. that such fair criticism is also mixed in with people who do have sexist views and want to express them loudly and aggressively , often deriding the product as a short hand for feminist overreach, means that for them ( aflw lovers) criticism warrants a short hand for sexism, its perhaps unfair but also worth seeing the other perspective is often grounded in equal frustration to what your experiencing ( people having a dig at personal preferences) as opposed to ideological overreach.

I think some of the other things are worth noting are that women's afl has actually had the most positive impact on a local level, tons of local teams now have about 30-60 extra female players at a junior and senior level which contribute as paying members and to the overall health of the clubs, so on that level i cant say i agree that womens footy is damaging local footy very much the inverse in fact.

in terms of advertising and things like that i think part of the reason your seeing so much of it around womens sport is that its a largely untapped market with a good narrative to sell. women's participation in sports lags far behind men so all these sports see the fact that if you effectively can leverage good will and excitement around your sport your likely to see huge increases in people getting involved( such as the 90% increase in women's participation this last year). i think that it will probably even out in a few year's but also there is still quite a lot of advertisements for men in afl as well so im not sure if this is as dramatic as you think. whether that's fair or not is another question but advertising isn't representational its aspirational for brands

personally i think aflw has been a great success, there's a lot more women playing the sport than there was 3 years ago the actual games are improving in quality , but just generally i think its offered up an opportunity for women to engage in physical sport ( something that im sure we've all enjoyed in our life) and not feel like there was a great stigma about.

as a personal anecdote one of my close friends is a fantastic athlete and played womens afl when she was 15 but stopped because at the time it was a thing that made her feel embarrassed, she stopped entirely and played soccer at a high level but when they started the aflw she got reengaged at a local level and is now playing for one of the vfl womens teams hoping to make it onto an aflw team(she's a doggies supporter as well so hope to see her wear the red, white and blue) i think that constitutes a success in my mind and how much society has changed in how it views women in afl.

 

[Charlie Bucket]

I think all privileged white men who are offended by the term should start a #whitemenslivesmatter movement.
It’s only fair considering the 2-3 whole years of slight persecution they’ve copped.
Now excuse me I must get back to playing this very small violin

 

[Charlie Bucket]

Lol this isn’t about me and I actually don’t think I’ve ever said anything as stupid as your post, and that’s saying something.

You don’t even realise how racist that comment was. It’s beyond anyone that thinks that way to understand it works both ways because they beat their PC drum and can’t/won’t hear the other side.

White privilege is as much a braindead theory as the gender pay gap is.

But pray tell what defines a “white” male? I have an Asian great grandmother and an my grandmother is from Israel. Am I part of your white male group ?

Lol I know you will either not answer or deflect like all PC warriors do so I don’t expect an answer.

And let me guess, you also eat lots of Indian take away ?