Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.
Celebrate women’s achievement. Raise awareness against bias. Take action for equality.
To celebrate International Women’s Day we’ve spoken to some of the incredible women in our Queensland football community and asked them how the 2022 theme #BreakTheBias resonates with them.
Rebecca Randazzo, Head of Womens Football, Coorparoo FC
“On this International Women’s Day we should celebrate the achievements of women in AFL, and be excited about what the future holds in store for women in the game.
“I applaud the fantastic work being done by AFLQ to change the dialogue, and create pathways for women to play leading roles across governance and coaching. Parity across pay, sponsorship and visibility will draw even more amazing women and girls to our sport. Women play a key role in helping the game flourish, ensuring it can overcome future challenges and growing the athletes of today and tomorrow.” #BreakTheBias
Grace Griffin, Player and Junior Girls Coach, Glenmore Bulls AFC
“As a junior girls coach it is incredible to see young girls developing their confidence through AFL and empowering each other as teammates, learning new skills and owning their strengths.
“For me as a player, I love the strategy and team unity of the game and think it showcases the strength of women so well. We have the drive to succeed, work hard for each other and have the ability to achieve some brilliant things. To me, breaking the bias means getting rid of the notion that girls don’t want to play a physical game or be tough, we’re here and we’re ready to work hard!” #BreakTheBias
Zimmorlei Farquharson, AFLW Player, Brisbane Lions
“This year #BreakTheBias has become something closer to me through my own personal life experiences and the experiences gained through playing football. I have learnt that until you’ve experienced discrimination for being a woman in sports, you don’t know what you’re made of.
“A women’s journey through sport can give her abilities that make her stronger, passionate, resilient and insightful, creating the conditions for her voice to be heard. From this, women can create actions which break down the barriers that have largely defined the game to date. By creatin sustainable steps designed to make female football more appreciated and accepted, it will develop and expand in the community, where we can all celebrate the qualities of what the women’s input can be the game.
“From this example you can then pass on these attributes to the younger girls in the present and in the future, so they participate and embrace more opportunities based upon diversity and inclusivity.” #BreakTheBias
Madison Crowley-Long, QAFLW Player and Co-Captain (UQ AFC) and Game Development Lead (AFL)
“This year’s IWD theme resonates strongly with me as a player who grew up in tandem with the development of Queensland’s female football pathway. I witnessed firsthand the inequality female teams of all ages experienced at local clubs – given minimal training space or hand-me-down jersey sets, pushed to back ovals on Sundays for fixtures etc, all based on a biased misconception that female footballers weren’t as talented, athletic or deserving as the men. Countless people have fought every step of the way to #BreakTheBias and make the QAFLW the respected premier competition it is today, and I’m proud to be part of a competition and a club that continues to strive for equality and break lingering stereotypes.
“This year’s IWD theme also resonates with me every day in my role within the AFL. At every school and program I coordinate I’m grateful to have the opportunity to #BreakTheBias and change the lingering perception amongst some kids, parents and teachers that women and girls are less capable of participating in AFL, or that AFL and other contact sports are masculine activities. I get to see first-hand the impact that removing this bias and stereotype can have as young females experience our great game, growing as people as a result, and I look forward to one day being in a world where these biases and stereotypes no longer exist.” #BreakTheBias
Trisha Squires, Head of AFL Queensland
“Queensland football has extraordinary women and girls who are players, umpires, coaches, administrators, volunteers and supporters. AFL is a game that is inclusive and for everyone, and it’s up to us as a football community celebrate women and girls in our great game.
“I would like to see more women involved in our game at all levels. Whether it’s playing our game for the first time, coaching some footy or umpiring. We have a group of extraordinary women who work at the AFL across Queensland, our two AFL Clubs and our AFLW players who are passionate about seeing more women join us.” #BreakTheBias
Grace Wilkin, Umpire
“Break The Bias resonates with me as a young women in the AFL Queensland community because football is my passion and I feel really proud to play a sport that has been – and in many aspects is still – a male dominated sport. Just last year I was one of the first female boundary umpires to umpire a QAFL Colts Grand Final which is just an example of how women in our community are breaking the bias.” #BreakTheBias
Hannah Dunn, AFLW Player and Captain, Gold Coast SUNS
“Gender equality isn’t about making women stronger. Women are already strong. It’s about changing societies perception and treating all genders equally.” #BreakTheBias
Lexia Edwards, QAFLW Head Coach, Yeronga South Brisbane FC
“In what has historically been a predominantly male space, #breakingthebias means that all of us lead by example to seek out and allow women to flourish in the AFL space.
This means to allow equitable opportunities to be involved in, to play, to coach and to run football organisations from grassroots to the elite level. I was lucky enough to have some strong female role models already breaking the bias in my early days of playing and coaching and want to continue to lead in this space.” #BreakTheBias
Lisa Daldy, Administration/Operations Manager, Maroochydore AFC
“For me, as Administration/Operations Manager for a community AFL club, it has been a bit of a challenge at times to overcome some of the “boys club” mentality in certain instances. I am so grateful to have had such terrific committee support over the last 10 years of my involvement with the Roos and some fantastic male role models making it a more inclusive game. It is so great to see so many women getting involved in footy in all realms of AFL!” #BreakTheBias
Jessee Gwyne, Player, Thuringowa Bulldogs AFC
“As a woman in sport I believe we need to empower girls from a young age. Give them the same opportunities as boys and show them that sport is for everyone. This is helped now by the AFLW where young girls can see women of all shapes, sizes and colours playing the sport they love just like their males counterparts have been able to do for so long. We need to keep fighting for what we deserve and increase the visibility of female athletes.” #BreakTheBias
Chelsea Koelmyer, Club Secretary, South Toowoomba Bombers FC
“We are proud to be members of the South Toowoomba Bombers because as a club their club culture is one of inclusivity. They encourage women and young girls to be a part of a club that has a strong commitment to women in sports. They stand up for gender equality and they have strong role models throughout the club that encourage us to not only break the glass ceiling but to shatter it!” #BreakTheBias
(Photographed: Chloe Crothers and Steph Robbie from the senior leadership group).
