Mitch Brown, a former West Coast Eagles defender, has become the first openly bisexual man in Australian Football League (AFL) history. At 36 years old, Brown’s announcement comes after a decade-long career during which he played 94 games for the Eagles from 2007 to 2016. His declaration is a momentous occasion in AFL history. It stops more than 30 years of silence on sexual orientation in the sport and offers a path forward for others who are just starting their journeys of identity themselves.
Brown’s path to this historic achievement was not an easy one. After being delisted by the Eagles at age 28, he retired from professional football, partly due to the weight of concealing his sexuality. His decision to come out now serves a greater purpose, as he aims to create a safe space for others within the league. I don’t think that this is just about me. It’s not just because Mitch Brown is the first at all. To me, it’s sharing what I went through so that other people can see themselves in it,” he said.
Breaking the Silence
In more than a hundred years, no male athlete in the AFL has publicly identified as gay or bisexual. That all changed with Brown’s announcement. His courage to speak out reflects not only personal strength but an urgent need for change within the league. Brown’s message to fellow gay and bisexual players is clear: “I see you and you are not alone.”
Brown believes that many players currently navigating their own identities exist within the AFL, and his story will inspire confidence among them. He wants other players to feel empowered to share their stories and take action — that’s what happens when he shares his truth. “What matters to me most is a sense of change, a movement created where you can be anyone and feel like you can be anyone and be safe in any environment here in Australia,” he emphasized.
His announcement couldn’t have come at a better time. It comes on the heels of similar situations in the league, such as six players being suspended in the past year and a half for using homophobic slurs. This backdrop highlights the need to create a climate of openness and safety for the entire field of players.
A Role Model for Future Generations
Brown’s openness serves as an inspiration for LGBTIQA+ youth, showing them that they belong in every space, including the nation’s most followed sporting code. He expressed hope that his story will help create “the safety, comfort, and space” for others to come forward about their identities.
The reactions I’m hoping for are the ones that I’ll never get to hear. They’re the ones of those young men around Australia going, ‘I feel seen, I feel a little bit safer, and I have a role model — albeit just ordinary old Mitch — a role model I can now look to,’ Brown remarked. He wishes to create an inclusive environment, rooted in his own experiences. He implores all football fans to appreciate all those players who make a positive impact off the field.
The Importance of Representation
Dash Heath-Paynter, a long-time advocate for LGBTIQA+ representation in sports, welcomed Brown’s announcement. “Mitch Brown’s story demonstrates strength and honesty. Until then, he’d communicated very little about his sexuality through the elite Australian sporting landscape. Further to that, his courage has already inspired countless other Australians who are asking the same questions of their identity today.
Brown is quick to note that this trip is not just about him, rather his intention to affect lasting change within the AFL. He implores that we reward players off the field who aren’t superstars on it. These athletes provide a vital form of social capital in their communities, serving as unique and powerful positive role models.
