Lady Gaga’s Born This Way blares through speakers as a drag queen puffs her chest and pouts at passers-by. Yes, this is footy at its most incongruous – or perhaps yet another reminder of what sets AFLW so far apart from its male cousin. The AFL has at times been accused of symbolism when it comes to occasions such as these, but it was hard to be cynical when one took in the effort that had been made for the AFLW’s inaugural Pride Game. Field umpires were dressed in rainbow socks, goal umpires waved rainbow flags and Bulldogs’ players gave away rainbow footballs at match’s conclusion. Where the Blues looked bereft of ideas, the Dogs ran with a fluency of a well-drilled team confident of their capacity to break the lines.

Source: The Guardian February 25, 2018 16:52 UTC