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Sexist trolling forces newspaper to close comments on women’s football coverage

'The least offensive of the comments runs to the tune of 'get back in the kitchen',' says the head of sport 

Sophie Gallagher
Friday 06 March 2020 11:04 GMT
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Sexist remarks have forced an Australian newspaper to remove the comments section on women’s football coverage.

The Herald Sun said on Thursday it had made the decision to close the comments following repeated calls from players, fans and commentators.

Herald Sun head of sport Matt Kitchin said: “The least offensive of the comments runs to the tune of ‘get back in the kitchen’ and the worst cannot be repeated they are so objectionable.

“Players, commentators, fans and clubs have all appealed to the Herald Sun to shut off the comments. And we’ve heard them.”

The paper said there were nearly 300 comments of a “sexist tone” on one particular story about women playing Australian rules football (AFLW).

Women have only been permitted to play in the AFLW professional league since 2017 and in the three years since have been plagued by sexist and abusive comments.

In February player Tayla Harris, 22, said she would give up her salary if the AFLW would employ someone to monitor the comments posted online and block trolls.

Harris had been pictured drop kicking a ball during a match against the Western Bulldogs in 2019 and was subjected to hundreds of crude remarks regarding her leg positioning.

She tweeted: “God damn I’ll give up my AFLW wage to employ someone to monitor this, public bullying is a ripple effect to young people in schools and communities that lead to mental health issues and suicide.”

The picture was then deleted by one news channel, Channel Seven, from its website in an effort to combat the trolling. But it was eventually reinstated after a backlash.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison referred to online trolls who attacked Harris as “cowardly grubs”.

When the first AFLW women’s game was held in 2017, 26,000 fans turned up, forcing the gates to close and 2,000 to be locked out.

At the time, the Herald Sun wrote: “Footy’s new female formula has a very big future.”

Chelsea Women has become the first club in the world to tailor their training schedule to the players' menstrual cycles to enhance performance and reduce injury rates.

Manager Emma Hayes has been the driving force behind the initiative after noticing that the players' energy and mood was directly impacted by their cycle.

“I am a female coach in an industry where women have always been treated like small men," she said.

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