Mitch Brown played 94 AFL games across ten seasons from 2007 to 2016 and became the first current or former AFL player to come out as bisexual. He recalled homophobic conversations in locker rooms that intensified fear for gay and bisexual men. He feared potential backlash before sharing his truth but instead received an overwhelmingly positive response and widespread encouragement. He thanked his partner Lou for love and resilience, and acknowledged support from his ex-wife Shae Bolton Brown and their two sons. He and his family have been overwhelmed by kindness and solidarity from people across Australia and internationally.
I remember two people having a conversation around how they would feel having a shower next to a gay man, and one of the players said, 'I'd rather be in a cage full of lions than have a shower next to a gay man',
I remember those comments, and the conversation in the locker room just exacerbated that fear even more if you're a gay man or a bisexual man sitting in that locker room.
Before it went live, there was a part of me that was worried about the homophobia or potential backlash I might receive. What happened instead was that the story was met with an overwhelmingly positive response, for which I am so grateful.
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