Jason Akermanis isn’t completely off the mark when describing the burden placed on homosexual footballers if they decided to come out, when society is unfortunately still struggling to accept women in football.
As much as I would like to think the whole of society would instantly accept homosexuals, they won’t. Society hasn’t even fully grasped the concept of women in football.
Being a young journalist, I cover suburban football on the weekends.
One particular day, I had a gentleman standing next to me constantly starring at me and my notepad. I caught the gentleman’s perpetual stare and he instantly followed up with a crude remark under his breath.
He then continued to ask me what I was doing at the game.
After I explained that I was covering the match for the league’s record, his eyes widened, his face turned up and he scanned me up and down, saying disparagingly, “A woman?”
I was speechless that he had not come to terms that women are heavily involved in football today. Maybe it was the look I gave him, or the words of a fellow supporter questioning, “I’d like to see how you’re going to get out of this one mate?” was the reason he quickly retracted his derogatory comment.
Honestly, I thought society had well and truly grasped the concept of women in football. This gentleman doesn’t represent society as a whole, but surely he isn’t the only one?
Channel Ten’s new recruit Kellie Underwood has been calling the networks Saturday afternoon football games this season. Many have criticised her, simply suggesting that women shouldn’t call footy.
It’s one thing to say Kellie Underwood shouldn’t call footy, but to say women shouldn’t call footy is absurd. I don’t uphold that view purely because I am a woman. I genuinely think that there is a place for woman calling football.
I don’t agree that Kellie Underwood is the poster girl for it, but she was thrown the challenge.
Of course, being the first one to have a go, it was inevitable for her to be criticised. Additionally, I think the production of Facebook pages set up by members of the public to slam Underwood is unfair and unjust.
Society isn’t willing to accept female football commentators, so how is it going to accept homosexual football players? Without a doubt there would be homosexual AFL players out there. Unfortunately the AFL isn’t the most accommodating environment to open up into.
Last week, Akermanis was heavily scrutinised for his article, “Stay in the closet, Jason Akermanis tells homosexuals,” appearing in the Herald Sun. He does have a good point, though. Would players feel uncomfortable playing with someone who is homosexual?
Akermanis admitted that he” felt uncomfortable” when his “gay” teammate from Mayne in Queensland had entered the showering block in his playing days with the club.
“Football clubs are very different environments. Locker room nudity is an everyday part of our lives and unlike any other work place,” Akermanis stated.
It begs the question: if we still have people in society who still can’t understand that women are more than capable on reporting and calling on sport, what hope do homosexual males have in playing football?
Society needs to move with the times and I look forward to the day we all support AFL players, who are publicly willing to acknowledge their homosexuality.
BigAl
Guest
Caroline Wison would be the best AFL jounalist going round at the moment partly because she doesn't have that 'one of the good old boys' aura, which enables her to come across as totally objective and rational. Patrick Smith is good in that way too, but he sometimes can be a bit pompous - if Caro ever came across that way, I'm sure she would be crucified !
Brittany Shanahan
Roar Pro
Thanks midfielder, It was truly touching. I hope in the not so distant future that homosexual males are fully accepted within not only the footy community, but sport in general.
Midfielder
Guest
Brittany Many groups have claimed this song, from gays, American Negroes, American white kids wanting to be different, kids simply wanting to grow their hair long, anti war folk, mirgants and many other groups, ... The gay community especially believed this song represented them.. Others tho it was about relgion ... Over the years many have argued who is the song being sung by, his girlfriend, his sister, his mother, his aunt, another kid at school who feels sorry for him, a teacher, an adult who obverses what the boy is going tho... or is it even about a boy at school... Me thinks its his girlfriend .. ask me another day and I say his mum.. you gotta respect Phil Spectors wall of sound effect even knowing what a grub he turned out to be .. or is it fame that send him crazy ... But .. Go Jody... Home of the Brave ... in black and white with dances ... love it hope anyone who watches enjoys... and maybe Aker could listen to the words... Brittany I am not gay and come from the an ANGLO background ... but this was one of the first songs that ever moved me ... then followed Dylan and many others ... but maybe someone should sent this off to Aker ... hope you enjoy if you watch.. from 1965 ... Jody Miller ... Home of the brave ... Brittany enjoy ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyNfunqpSxc&feature=player_embedded
Brittany Shanahan
Roar Pro
Thanks for the support Andrew!
Brittany Shanahan
Roar Pro
A couple of media personnel that I have spoken to have said that "women shouldn't call footy". But most people in general do believe it's just Underwood who shouldn't be calling footy games.
sbb
Guest
Brittany - Your initial comment on Kellie Underwood: "Many have criticised her, simply suggesting that women shouldn’t call footy," is factually incorrect.. Most have criticised her but almost unanimously they -- many women as well as men -- have taken the time to state that it is NOT simply because she is a woman but rather, because she is aurally painful. Personally, I'd prefer to have my teeth drilled while listening to fingernails being scraped along a blackboard. And while Underwood is a particular nightmare, I can't imagine any female voice being complementary to the footy. It is all about the aural experience (as opposed to the female capability)
stevebb
Guest
Many have criticised her, simply suggesting that women shouldn’t call footy
Andrew Sutherland
Roar Guru
Sorry Brittany, but dismissing Soapit's opinion as " a load of rubbish" is probably degrading it a little. However I do agree that an intelligent man or woman who has never played or coached in a sport but is passionate and knowledgeable about that sport is capable of providing valid opinions and insight. The one insight ex players can bring to the commentary is how hard it is to play. Unfortunately most ex players just talk in cliches and don't seem willing or able to convey the physical torment. I'm not sure why Luke Darcy is doing the netball. It could be to counteract the high pitched squealing of the (mainly young female) crowd or b/c many men play netball. If it's the latter it would be preferable to have a top male player commentating. Women have always been prominent in football as spectators and behind the scenes. In the late eighties my team had female physios and trainers. The few women football writers I have read are excellent. Linda Pearce (then at the Herald Sun) reported on a game I played in. It was a superb piece and not just because it included: "Superfit Sutherland continually opened up play with his blistering pace and uncanny goal sense" ! Hope to see you reporting for one of the major papers soon Brittany!
Redb
Roar Guru
I can't stand Kellie Underwood's commentary and it has nothing to do with her not having played the game, her grating voice is terrible. On the point of women covering football, I read Emma Quayle (the AGE) on a regular basis, one of the best football writers, easily in my top 3.
Brittany Shanahan
Roar Pro
Honestly there is no need for me to say anything else because you are turning this personal. I am not being over defensive just putting my point out there. We just don’t see eye to eye on the issue and I understand everyone is entitled to their opinion. I’m not degrading your opinion, just responding to it. Sorry if you take it any other way.
soapit
Guest
1. i don't think referring to my point of view as a load of rubbish is "simply disgreeing". 2. you were also not just disgreeing. you used the example of a man commentating in netball to imply that i didnt want women to commentate afl games which is the opposite of what i stated in my first post "calling the game isnt real commentating though (as in providing comment/opinion) so no prob with non players getting into this". i therefore chose to assume that you hadnt read what i wrote very carefully (over the assumption that you were intentionally misrepresenting my words). in my opinion you quickly surmised that my post was not agreeing with your article and immediately set out to disprove my point which you also surmised without actually taking the time to carefully read what i was actually saying and consider whether or not i had a point. this is shown by the fact you are providing arguments against a point that i didnt make. 3. mr darcy is clearly free to make comment on the game and i havent seen any of him or experienced netball in any way so i wont talk specifically about him or netball but i know from my sport of choice that these journo commentator people are ideally just noise boxes to fill the dead air while the game is being played and their opinion is worth no more to me then your average big sports fan. i therefore don't give it any more stock then when i talk to my some of my work colleagues about sport. this is much less stock then i give to the opinion of someone who has played/coached at a high level in the game (and succeeded). even playing/coaching at a lower level would be a good start. when you hire a graduate they can have all the book smarts in the world but they know nothing of how it actually works until they actually get in and do it for themselves a bit. 4. you have twisted my words re: our fellow roarers. my point was that relatively most amateur commentators such as those on the roar know less about the topic then those who have experience playing and coaching. i don't expect to be right about all issues that i discuss that are in areas outside of my experience (including sport). i am on here to give my opinion, hear others opinions and enjoy myself doing it. i would hope most roarers would have this same realistic expectation of their opinions on sport and due to the open discussion you generally see on here i think that is the case. i dont see any point in continuing this discussion further with you here. Unfortunately you seem overly defensive, unwilling to consider my comments properly and seem to be trying to make your own point more valid by twisting my words. you can't talk to someone when they're like that. i'm sure you're 100% right anyway.
eev
Guest
*Consentual Please get it right.
Brittany Shanahan
Roar Pro
I did read what you said, but if you listen I am simply disagreeing with your point of view. But then again according to your statement people on the roar don't know what they are talking about. To be honest Luke Darcy has involved himself within the netball culture to understand what goes on. He is also learning from the best with Liz Ellis alongside him. If Luke Darcy is able to provide his opinion after learning from the best, I’m sure women can do that in football.
Diesel
Guest
Don't mind Underwood. Rather decent callers than useless dimwitted ex-players like Shaw & "the ox".
Pete Bannan
Guest
Brittany, dont listen to those comments from SOME above, a great article, i agree with. cant accept gays, cant accept women - but after all its aka who cant accept gays not the football industry.
soapit
Guest
read what i said. commentating (calling the game) is ok, providing opinion or comment should be left to those who know what they're talking about (except on the roar of course). no i havent heard luke darcy, is he a netballer? if not i'm sure he isnt really aware of the fine details of how to be a good netballer. he could pick up most things from talking to netballers but i'll bet there's lots of little things that you wouldnt notice until you actually get in and give it a go.
Michael C
Roar Guru
Good comment Towser - I'd give you a 'highly commendable' on several levels!!!
Brittany Shanahan
Roar Pro
Soapit Don't pull out that issue of, because you have never played the game before you shouldn't commentate on the game. It's a load of rubbish. Have you heard Luke Darcey commentate on ONE HD's Netball coverage alongside Liz Ellis? He has also never played the game before. So does this mean he shouldn't be commentating?
Towser
Guest
Definitely not a peculiarity to Australia Rules Football. Probably spread across the sporting spectrum throughout the world. Here's a story from my sport Association Football which if you have time to read it is a sad indication on how the stigma of your sexuality can lead to suicide. Its about Justin Fashanu. This line says it all in where society is at. "A decade after his death, Fashanu is still the only professional footballer in the world to disclose that he was gay, according to the BBC" When you consider the number of professional players in his sport throughout the world that shows just how far we've come. So maybe at this stage this bloke Akermanis is right. Reading through the following I remember many incidents. It doesnt take much to realise that constant vilification can have dire consequences. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Fashanu
soapit
Guest
in my mind there is a definte distinction between the two issue. if gay men are able to play the sport at the highest level they should be able to do so without having to lie about their private lives. the only change that needs to happen to allow them to do it is for other players to get used to accepting sexual preferences of their team mates. with regards to the female issue i immediately take points off all commentators of sport (as opposed to reporters) who have never played the game and the comments they make on players abilities tactics etc. more often then not they have no idea what they are talking about as they have never experienced it for themselves. calling the game isnt real commentating though (as in providing comment/opinion) so no prob with non players getting into this. could also just be a preference regarding timbre of voice. don't really want to watch men going at it hard while a perky voice commentates so you'd have to choose the sound carefully. same thing happens for men its just that most men have this tone naturally. in the same way most newswomen put on a deep voice on the telly.