The Club hosted the events prior and during the match against Port Adelaide in celebration of the AFLW pride round with members from LGBTQIA+ groups the Perth Hornets, Pride Vic Park and Jasper all attending.
The West Coast Eagles are strongly connected to all three groups with Jasper and Pride Vic Park being linked to Club partners BHP and the Town of Victoria Park respectively, whilst a community partnership with the Perth Hornets was formalised earlier this year.
The day began with a curtain raiser match between the groups who combined to create two mixed teams, giving them an opportunity to play a fun game of footy on the big stage and promote the impact that the AFLW pride round has on the broader football community.
Following the match, the group members participated in a guard of honour welcoming the AFLW players onto the field before the Club hosted attendees for a function during the match.
Guests enjoyed food and drinks, a raffle and Q&A panel during the breaks with a special visit from AFLW players Dana Hooker, Evie Gooch and Sophie McDonald, who were involved in designing this year’s pride guernsey.
Perth Hornets President Toby Burridge spoke on how enjoyable the experience was for everyone involved and how thankful they were for the opportunity to play as the only LGBTQIA+ community AFL club in Western Australia.
“It was a really cool opportunity for our club because we have never done anything like this before. We’ve been trying to do a curtain raiser game with various football clubs for a while now so it was great to collaborate with Jasper group and Pride Vic Park to make it happen,” said Burridge.
“The curtain raiser went really well and so did the guard of honour, everyone was really excited to participate in it, some for the first time whilst a few of us had done it in previous years. It is something we enjoy every year and is a fantastic chance for us on behalf of the LGBTQIA+ community in football.”
Community and Game Development manager Richard O’Connell emphasised the diversity within football and the importance of pride round in spotlighting the LGBTQIA+ community.
“West Coast Eagles have over 100,000 members all embracing the blue and gold but all with so many different backgrounds, beliefs and stories; Pride Round is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate this diversity and highlight that football is a game for all, as a player, a volunteer or a passionate fan cheering on your team from the sidelines,” O’Connell said.
“All three of the groups that attended have a connection to the Eagles in different ways, but we consider all three friends of the club. We work with each through the year in a variety of ways; be it to encourage more participants in football, walk in the annual Pride march or promote the inclusive nature of our local neighbourhood (Victoria Park).
“We believe the LGBTQIA+ community is an important part of our membership and we wish to confirm through our actions that we are a club which is safe and welcoming.”
Perth Hornets president Toby Burridge echoed these sentiments and highlighted the role sporting clubs play in promoting diversity in football.
“It’s great to see the Eagles hosting pride round and celebrating it with us and other groups within the LGBTQIA+ community,” Burridge said.
“Pride round means a lot to us, and we believe it’s really important that we are introducing it into the game, celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community and drawing attention to what the Hornets do through our partnership with the club.”
The West Coast Eagles support of the Perth Hornets, Jasper, Pride Vic Park and the wider LGBTQIA+ community are part of our commitment to making football a more diverse and inclusive space, which we look forward to continuing in the future.
