A former Aussie Rules player has come out as the first openly gay or bisexual man in the Australian Football League's (AFL) 129-year history.
Mitch Brown, who played 94 matches for the West Coast Eagles from between 2007 and 2016, told The Daily Aus that the weight of hiding his sexuality played a huge part in his decision to retire.
He added that he hopes his decision to speak out will create the safety, comfort and space for others to come forward.
The news marks a pivotal moment for the AFL, which before Brown's announcement, was the only major professional men's sport globally to never have had an openly gay or bisexual player, even after retirement.
Brown first shared the news in a direct message to The Daily Aus's social media account after watching coverage of recent incidents of homophobia in the AFL.
I played in the AFL for 10 years for the West Coast Eagles, and I'm a bisexual man, he wrote.
The decision to speak out came from a feeling of peace... comfort and confidence that he didn't have while hiding his sexuality when he was an active player, Brown said.
He described a culture of hyper-masculinity in the AFL, where he heard countless homophobic comments hurled at him on the field.
When I was growing up at school, the word 'gay' was thrown around constantly… For a man in Australia, [it was seen as] probably the weakest thing you could be.
Brown, 36, is currently in a relationship with a female partner and was previously married to former netball player Shae Bolton, with whom he shares two sons.
The announcement comes after several high-profile homophobic incidents in the AFL, including Adelaide Crows player Izak Rankine receiving a four-week ban for using a highly offensive homophobic slur during a game.
Addressing this, Brown said he would like to see a sense of change in the league through positive male role models.
He believes there are currently gay and bisexual players in the AFL who remain closeted and encourages fans to have empathy for all players: I see you and you are not alone.
