Mitch Brown Calls Out Silent AFL Clubs After His Coming Out

It’s been a huge week for for former West Coast Eagles player Mitch Brown who this week made history as the first openly bisexual man in the history of the AFL.

Since the announcement Brown has been flooded with support from friends, fans and sporting club everywhere.

However he has been keeping track of the reactions and reveals there are some important people keeping quiet.

Mitch Brown calls out silent clubs

The historic significance of the announcement by Mitch Brown this week has not gone unnoticed.

Prior to Brown breaking the news there had never been a former or present player in the history of the VFL or AFL who had come out as gay or bisexual.

In a touching show of support and a nod to growing inclusion from in the sport from an organisational level, many AFL and other sporting clubs issued public statements in support of his news.

These included the GWS Giants, Fremantle, Port Adelaide, Gold Coast, Western Bulldogs and of course his former team the West Coast Eagles who all publicly shared their support on the day with Carlton and St Kilda following suit the next day and later the Sydney Swans.

 

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As more and more clubs spoke publicly, it appears Mitch Brown was keeping track, by Saturday afternoon four clubs had still yet to publicly comment.

Those clubs include Collingwood, Geelong, Adelaide Crows, and the Brisbane Lions.

The Adelaide Crows most recently courted controversy when forward Izak Rankine was issued a four match ban for using a homophobic slur, raising eyebrows as to why they have yet to comment on Brown coming out.

Meanwhile the AFL still remains under pressure to cancel the appearance of Snoop Dogg at the grand final after he recently made homophobic comments ahead of his appearance.

Taking to social media Mitch Brown publicly called out the clubs who remained silent, posting and tagging them on his Instagram story.

“Collingwood, might not pay my membership next year at this rate,” he wrote.

“Geelong, you know my bro works with you right?” he said of the club where his twin brother is a coach for the AFLW.

“Hey Adelaide… nah I won’t even bother” he continued.

“Brisbane Lions you’re off the hook. The Taylor Swift engagement is so much bigger than this” he said of the club who chose to post about the engagement of Taylor Swift on Wednesday instead.

“Who’s next?” he concluded.

Brown then posted comments he shared with The Daily Australia about the clubs.

He told them he “can’t help but think about how my younger self would have felt it my club didn’t show their support for something like this back when I was playing.”

Brown went on to say that the announcement was a  “huge opportunity” that could potentially help all clubs effect “the culture and attitudes of their fans and lovers of the game,” concluding that “[doesn’t] see why a club wouldn’t want to stand for that.”