‘I hate that we have to keep dealing with it’: Football hall of famer’s plea to end homophobia

3 weeks ago 8

The AFLW’s greatest player, Erin Phillips, has praised former West Coast Eagle Mitch Brown for coming out as the first openly bisexual male player in the AFL’s 129-year history, and called on the wider football community to “eradicate” racism, homophobia, and other prejudices from the game at all levels.

Speaking after Crows star Izak Rankine was banned for four matches for using a homophobic slur against a Collingwood opponent late in the AFL’s home-and-away season, Phillips, who won three AFLW flags with Adelaide and is openly gay, told this masthead: “I hope we won’t ever have to deal with this again, whether it is racism or what we’ve had recently with Izak.

Erin Phillips warms up ahead of the Legends Game For Prostate Cancer on Thursday night.

“There needs to be more education. But it’s important we stamp it out and eradicate it from our game. That starts from the grassroots level, right up to the top.

“I hate that we have to keep dealing with it, but if it means we need more education, then we will keep doing that.”

Phillips expressed her frustration in Rankine’s slur against Collingwood in round 23. Though he was banned for four matches, he could still play in the AFL grand final if the Crows lose their qualifying final next weekend but win through to the decider.

Rankine apologised for his actions but has yet to speak publicly. He was named in the AFL All-Australian Team on Thursday night.

Phillips starred with both the Crows and Port Adelaide Power in the AFLW.

Brown’s announcement on Wednesday came soon after Rankine’s ban and Phillips hopes the reception to the announcement will help more people have confidence to live openly.

“Any person that can come out and be their true, genuine selves is important and will have a huge impact across the community,” Phillips said.

“I’m really proud of him feeling the comfort and confidence to do so.

“I’d love to see anyone come out and be whoever they are and be proud and open about who they are.

“But I also think there is a day I look forward to, and that’s the day where we won’t have to have somebody come out and be openly gay or openly straight – they can just be who they are.

“Having these conversations though [is] really important and if Mitch coming out can give confidence to not even AFL players but other people in the community to have that confidence to be who they are open and publicly – then that would be incredibly important.”

Melbourne, Richmond and Essendon all issued public support for Brown on Friday, joining Brown’s former club West Coast, GWS, Port Adelaide, St Kilda and Fremantle who shared support for him earlier in the week.

Erin Phillips takes on Gary Ablett jnr in the 2025 Legends game.

Phillips was also an elite basketballer who represented Australia, and won an Olympic silver medal and two WNBA titles before playing a key role in the AFLW from its inception.

In addition to starring in three premierships for the Crows, Phillips won two league best and fairest awards, before finishing her career with her home club Port Adelaide in 2023. Phillips’ father, Greg, is a great of Port Adelaide in the SANFL and they are both members of the Australian Football Hall of Fame – the first father-daughter combination to receive that honour.

Phillips and her wife Tracy Gahan created one of footy’s iconic moments in 2017 when they shared a kiss after Phillips was named the inaugural league best and fairest winner.

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