When I first saw the marvellous action shot of Carlton’s Tayla Harris, I couldn’t help but envy her technique.
My dad had always told me when I was growing up, and he still does, that you need to have a ‘sledgehammer’ when kicking the football.
Well Tayla, you’d make my dad very proud.
But unfortunately when others have viewed this image they’ve thought less about the near perfect technique and more about what vile, repulsive comments they can make.
It baffles me that there are still keyboard warriors who find the courage and time to post hurtful, degrading comments such as those on Tayla’s photo.
The moral teaching that I was taught was not to give oxygen or attention to those who are seeking it so badly, such as the people behind the vile comments.
The only thing, for us, worse than ignoring the comments was deleting the photo.
There have been many cases where rude, obnoxious comments have been shut down by the organsiations themselves.
For example, when soup company Campbell’s Kitchen fire back at an anti-gay individual after they released an advertisement with two gay fathers.
They commented back to the individual that their views were outdated.
As a community we shouldn’t get into heated online disputes, but we should show our audiences and society to stand up for what is right, especially when these comments affect AFLW players on all levels.
Please, have our backs.
In the advanced world of technology we live in today it shouldn’t be too much to ask for a system that detects and filters phrases and words that are of a sexist, homophobic, racist or derogatory nature.
It’s come to a point where a lot of female footballers are thinking twice about the kind of photo they post or what they share to their social media channels.
I know myself that I may question the outcomes of sharing something next time I go to press post.
But I need to stop myself and remember that I have a whole army behind me.
It was refreshing to see how many people supported Tayla and called out these trolls.
Despite how appalling the comments were, we should see this a a positive.
Don’t give the trolls what they want.
This moment is an amazing one in women’s sport.
Thousands of people from everywhere came together, empowered, to stand for what’s right and to take another step in the right direction.