Instagram takeover: 16 days of activism against gender-based violence
Towards Australian Rules Football Without Barriers (My First Year as a VFLW Hawks Member)
By Bodhi Sweeny (GPAN)
I can clearly remember the first VFL (now AFL) game I attended, when Hawthorn played Collingwood at Waverly Park. I was only eight years of age, but I was immediately struck by the brutal aggression and distinct personalities of Hawthorn’s players. Hawthorn won that day, and, just like many other kids who choose their team regardless of who parents or friends barrack for, I knew then that Hawthorn was my team.
It wasn’t long before I began searching for a team to play with. I had fallen in love with Hawthorn and wanted to walk in the footsteps of my heroes, players like Dunstall, Platten, Langford, and Tuck. Living on the eastern fringe of Mont Albert, I ended up joining the under 11’s Box Hill Mustangs.
This was the beginning of a difficult journey. I soon discovered that I was terrible at footy – I had no ability to read the game and I was grossly uncoordinated to boot! As the team developed over the next few years, I was teased and bullied by several players – not only for my poor football skills but because I was a socially awkward kid. However, I was (and still am) also belligerent and persistent. I battled my own discomfort and hurt feelings because I would not let others stop me being part of something I loved.
As time passed, football became a lesser part of my adult life – other things seemed like higher priorities. In the past three years, the Hawks have steadily crept back into my life and rekindled my love and passion for the game. This year (2018), I wanted to buy a Hawthorn membership for the men’s competition. I knew it would be expensive, but I was still deflated when I logged onto the website - I didn’t have a spare $300 or so to burn! However, I was delighted when I saw that I could buy a membership for the Hawthorn Women’s team upcoming VFLW season for $50. This would be the first season the Women’s team would play as the Hawthorn Hawks after competing in the 2017 VFLW season as Box Hill. The 2018 season would therefore be historic for Women’s football with Hawthorn and I wanted to be part of it.
So, I wanted to share with you some of the photos and videos I took with my partner Cass from the games we attended. Despite my ordinary photography skills, they give you a taste of what the games were like. I will be posting a couple of images or movies each day of the 16 days of activism. From the beautiful, sunny day on May 5th at Windy Hill in Essendon – the Hawks opening game of the season - to their glorious premiership Victory at Docklands Stadium, each game was a deeply satisfying spectacle which carried deeper meanings for me. Perhaps the most important game was the round three at Box Hill City Oval.
Returning to Box Hill City Oval was a symbol of both struggles and success in my life. The senior Box Hill Mustangs side played in the VFL for many years before quite recently becoming the Box Hill Hawks as the AFL Hawthorn Men’s reserves. Box Hill City Oval was their home ground and was located directly across the road from where I trained and played home games for several years with the junior teams. I recall meeting John Platten, perhaps my favourite Hawks player, there at a junior clinic. I also won best clubman at our end of year awards, hosted in the ground’s function room, although I can’t recall exactly on which year this fell, probably 1992 or 1993.
Contrasting with these fond memories were those of being teased; for being different or awkward, for my lack of skill, strength or awareness. I just wanted to be a good player and be part of something I loved, so being rejected by many in my team was a constant source of frustration and misery.
But, if you look back at hard times in life, perhaps when you were hurt deeply or felt terribly different, there are silver linings that can give you strength. The main thing I have tried to do in recent years is to authentically embrace and support causes and people who have experienced similar suffering or who struggle in the face of exclusion or marginalisation. Upon returning to Box Hill City Oval I was supporting people playing the game I loved with strength and passion, despite the discrimination they had likely faced from many in their professional and personal lives. Players like Meg Hutchins and Lou Wotton, veterans from a time when Women who played Australian rules football were strongly discriminated against, have laid the foundation for many girls and women who wouldn’t have had access to teams and training and professional development if not for their courage. I know what it is like to suffer doing what you love and not wanting to stop regardless of outside pressure. These players had even greater obstacles to contend with – local underage competitions for girls did not exist as far as I can remember, so at least I had easy access to a team and wasn’t judged for wanting to play. The structural and social barriers designed to discourage their participation were prolific and widespread.
I hope that the emergence of Women’s Australian rules football, with its unique characters, highly skilled athletes, is a conduit for many girls, who, like when I was a boy, only want to unashamedly be part of something that should be joyful for all and never exclusive. Oh, and by the way, the effort the Hawthorn Football Club put into bringing this team together and the way they resourced it should be commended, because the Hawks won the premiership in this, their first year 😊, GO HAWKS!!! I saw a piece of history that will stay with me for life and gave the 11 year-old me joy and courage.
By Bodhi Sweeny (GPAN)
I can clearly remember the first VFL (now AFL) game I attended, when Hawthorn played Collingwood at Waverly Park. I was only eight years of age, but I was immediately struck by the brutal aggression and distinct personalities of Hawthorn’s players. Hawthorn won that day, and, just like many other kids who choose their team regardless of who parents or friends barrack for, I knew then that Hawthorn was my team.
It wasn’t long before I began searching for a team to play with. I had fallen in love with Hawthorn and wanted to walk in the footsteps of my heroes, players like Dunstall, Platten, Langford, and Tuck. Living on the eastern fringe of Mont Albert, I ended up joining the under 11’s Box Hill Mustangs.
This was the beginning of a difficult journey. I soon discovered that I was terrible at footy – I had no ability to read the game and I was grossly uncoordinated to boot! As the team developed over the next few years, I was teased and bullied by several players – not only for my poor football skills but because I was a socially awkward kid. However, I was (and still am) also belligerent and persistent. I battled my own discomfort and hurt feelings because I would not let others stop me being part of something I loved.
As time passed, football became a lesser part of my adult life – other things seemed like higher priorities. In the past three years, the Hawks have steadily crept back into my life and rekindled my love and passion for the game. This year (2018), I wanted to buy a Hawthorn membership for the men’s competition. I knew it would be expensive, but I was still deflated when I logged onto the website - I didn’t have a spare $300 or so to burn! However, I was delighted when I saw that I could buy a membership for the Hawthorn Women’s team upcoming VFLW season for $50. This would be the first season the Women’s team would play as the Hawthorn Hawks after competing in the 2017 VFLW season as Box Hill. The 2018 season would therefore be historic for Women’s football with Hawthorn and I wanted to be part of it.
So, I wanted to share with you some of the photos and videos I took with my partner Cass from the games we attended. Despite my ordinary photography skills, they give you a taste of what the games were like. I will be posting a couple of images or movies each day of the 16 days of activism. From the beautiful, sunny day on May 5th at Windy Hill in Essendon – the Hawks opening game of the season - to their glorious premiership Victory at Docklands Stadium, each game was a deeply satisfying spectacle which carried deeper meanings for me. Perhaps the most important game was the round three at Box Hill City Oval.
Returning to Box Hill City Oval was a symbol of both struggles and success in my life. The senior Box Hill Mustangs side played in the VFL for many years before quite recently becoming the Box Hill Hawks as the AFL Hawthorn Men’s reserves. Box Hill City Oval was their home ground and was located directly across the road from where I trained and played home games for several years with the junior teams. I recall meeting John Platten, perhaps my favourite Hawks player, there at a junior clinic. I also won best clubman at our end of year awards, hosted in the ground’s function room, although I can’t recall exactly on which year this fell, probably 1992 or 1993.
Contrasting with these fond memories were those of being teased; for being different or awkward, for my lack of skill, strength or awareness. I just wanted to be a good player and be part of something I loved, so being rejected by many in my team was a constant source of frustration and misery.
But, if you look back at hard times in life, perhaps when you were hurt deeply or felt terribly different, there are silver linings that can give you strength. The main thing I have tried to do in recent years is to authentically embrace and support causes and people who have experienced similar suffering or who struggle in the face of exclusion or marginalisation. Upon returning to Box Hill City Oval I was supporting people playing the game I loved with strength and passion, despite the discrimination they had likely faced from many in their professional and personal lives. Players like Meg Hutchins and Lou Wotton, veterans from a time when Women who played Australian rules football were strongly discriminated against, have laid the foundation for many girls and women who wouldn’t have had access to teams and training and professional development if not for their courage. I know what it is like to suffer doing what you love and not wanting to stop regardless of outside pressure. These players had even greater obstacles to contend with – local underage competitions for girls did not exist as far as I can remember, so at least I had easy access to a team and wasn’t judged for wanting to play. The structural and social barriers designed to discourage their participation were prolific and widespread.
I hope that the emergence of Women’s Australian rules football, with its unique characters, highly skilled athletes, is a conduit for many girls, who, like when I was a boy, only want to unashamedly be part of something that should be joyful for all and never exclusive. Oh, and by the way, the effort the Hawthorn Football Club put into bringing this team together and the way they resourced it should be commended, because the Hawks won the premiership in this, their first year 😊, GO HAWKS!!! I saw a piece of history that will stay with me for life and gave the 11 year-old me joy and courage.
Bohdi
GPAN team member
|
About
When I’m not writing my Psychology honours thesis, I volunteer at Banksia Gardens Community Centre for the afternoon study-group. I really enjoy helping kids develop confidence, and the staff at Banksia Gardens are great company. I consider myself very lucky to have found something meaningful that I can be part of. I also work as a stage-lighting technician on a casual basis and have a keen interest in the ways in which technology can be used in practical and creative applications. What do you love about GPAN? I believe that you should always be willing to challenge your preconceptions - GPAN has been very effective in challenging how I see myself and others! I also love how openly we share our thoughts and experiences with each other at each fortnightly meeting. Family violence and entrenched sexism is a confronting subject to unpack, but I always feel supported and respected by our team and try to be respectful and supportive in return. That we are banding together to create support networks and education around this issue is inspiring and I have every confidence that we will change our communities for the better. A bit about you My main interests are music, Australian Rules Football, healthy living, and my crazy Kelpie, Poppy. I love seeing the newly launched VFLW Hawks have great success – the difference Women’s football has made in dismantling several ingrained gender stereotypes should not be underestimated. Where do you see yourself in five years? I am confident that I will have established a career with a community services organisation like Banksia Gardens. |
|
|
|