Jimmy Bartel Has A Theory On Why No Male AFL Player Has Come Out Yet
Former AFL champion Jimmy Bartel has weighed in on one of the biggest questions in modern footy, offering a sharp perspective on why a male player is yet to come out publicly. Speaking on the A Life Of Greatness podcast, the straight ally gave a reason that has less to do with the team and more to do with the media.
He believes the fear isn’t about the locker room.
Many assume a player’s silence comes from a fear of rejection from teammates, but Bartel thinks the opposite. He described today’s AFL clubs as “open-minded” and better equipped than ever to support a player. The real issue, he suggests, is the risk of a player’s entire identity being permanently redefined by that one announcement.
“One of the factors I think might be holding back a player, a male player, from coming out is that’ll be all they’ll be referenced as for the rest of their life,” Bartel explained.
He worries that a player could be a legend of the sport, a multiple premiership winner, and a Hall Of Famer, but history would remember them first and foremost as the person who came out.
“I think it diminishes what they’ve done incredibly well in the game,” he added. Speaking as an observer who has never had to face that choice, he posed the question: “Do I want that always attached to me?”
A difficult past provides some perspective…
Bartel’s insights into personal struggles are shaped by his traumatic childhood. Raised largely by his mother, he recalled his relationship with his violent, alcoholic father. He recounted a harrowing incident where his father violated an Apprehended Violence Order, or AVO, and threatened his mother’s life. This early exposure to hidden turmoil gives his comments a different weight.
His empathy was also on display when discussing the recent tragedies affecting the family of his former teammate, Joel Selwood. Bartel understands the heavy burdens people can carry behind a public facade. While his theory is just an opinion, it comes from someone who knows what it’s like to navigate serious personal challenges while in the public eye.
Does his theory on why a player might stay silent hold water? It certainly gives us all something to think about.
Read the original story at Perth Now.
