‘You Can’t Be What You Can’t See’: Pushing For Gender Equality In Sport

At our International Women's Day event, an all-star lineup of Australian women discussed the achievements and shortfalls of the industry's move towards gender equality.

By Lara Robertson

Leadership

At our International Women's Day event, an all-star lineup of Australian women discussed the achievements and shortfalls of the industry's move towards gender equality.

By Lara Robertson

Previous article Dear Rafi: Jamila Rizvi’s Open-Letter To Her Son On International Women’s Day

Next article The Understated Art Of Receiving Feedback

Courtney Gum’s four-year-old son, Buzz, thinks girls are stronger than boys. He’s come to this conclusion after sitting in multiple AFL Women’s training sessions. See, his mum is one of the star players for the GWS Giants in Sydney, who made her AFL Women’s debut at the age of 36.

On Thursday Gum spoke at Future Women’s International Women’s Day event in collaboration with Twitter and Cricket Australia. Gum took the stage with Adelaide Strikers cricketer Megan Schutt, Australian Opals and WNBA basketballer Liz Cambage and Channel Seven sports presenter Mel McLaughlin to discuss the issue the entire nation can’t stop talking about in 2019 – the rise of women’s sport. The panel, moderated by sports reporter Sam Squiers, tackled everything from pay equality and raising children as an elite athlete to the value of a business class seat.

From left to right: Sports reporter Sam Squires, Australian Opals and WNBA basketballer Liz Cambage, Twitter Australia Marketing Director Suzy Nicoletti, Future Women founder Helen McCabe, Channel Seven sports presenter Mel McLaughlin, Adelaide Strikers cricketer Megan Schutt and GWS Giants midfielder Courtney Gum.

Gum said she is seeing firsthand how issues like pay inequity and lack of childcare options are stopping younger women from pursuing a career in sport. “It’s a really difficult time for a lot of the girls… because it’s a massive commitment… and they’re essentially putting their lives on hold,” she said.

“I do think over the next five years if the pay rate and the duration of the season in AFLW stays the same there will be a point where some people will have to choose between their career [or] an AFLW season. It’s just a difficult time in AFLW until it grows and the girls can make a little bit more money out of it.”