2016/12: Does the new AFL women's competition represent an advance for women's sport?
Introduction to the media issue
Video clip at right:On June 15, 2016, Collingwood media produced a segment explaining the logistics of the new AFL women?s competition and Collingwood?s participation. If you cannot see this clip, it will be because video is blocked by your network. To view the clip, access from home or from a public library, or from another network which allows viewing of video clips.
What they said...
'By not paying male and female players equally, employers send a message to young girls and women that they are not as highly valued as men even when they are the top of their field'
Libby Lyons, director of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA)
'We're on a journey. It's not the same as the men straight off. We are starting by turning amateur women into professional women.
But...we are going to be a long way down the path to being very much like the men in five years' time'
Gillon McLachlan, the AFL's chief executive officer
The issue at a glance
On March 21, 2016, it was announced that the inaugural AFL women's football league would begin with a two-month season in February and March, 2017.
AFL clubs were invited to apply for a licence in the inaugural eight-team competition, with April 29th as the deadline for submissions.
On June 15, 2016, the eight clubs selected to form the initial competition were announced. They are the Adelaide Crows, the Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Collingwood, the Fremantle Dockers, the GWS Giants, Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs.
The Geelong Cats, North Melbourne, Richmond, St Kilda and the West Coast Eagles have each been granted provisional licences, and the AFL has explained it will work closely with them to ensure they are part of an expanded competition at the earliest possible opportunity.
Many have welcomed the new competition as a significant advance in women's sport, opening up a high profile code to greater participation from women. Others have suggested that it is not the boon it might at first appear as the female players are not being treated equitably.