WESTERN Bulldogs footballer Isabella Grant hopes bringing AFLW Pride Round to Ballarat will help encourage young people to feel safe in being themselves.
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Ms Grant, whose father is Daylesford export and Western Bulldogs' great Chris Grant, said representation was important, whether this was in young girls seeing elite women's sport in traditionally male-dominated fields or in putting the spotlight on celebrating LGBTIQA+ diversity.
The Bulldogs and City of Ballarat, in partnership with the state government, have confirmed the second of two AFLW fixtures at Mars Stadium in October will be in Pride Round. The Bulldogs' rival will be St Kilda, a club that contested the first AFL Pride Game - believed to be a world-first for a professional sporting code - against Sydney in 2016.
Pride itself is super important to me and something I didn't have growing up...It's one we hold super close to our heart.
- Isabella Grant, Western Bulldogs' AFLW footballer
"Pride itself is super important to me and something I didn't have growing up," Ms Grant said. "Before I was drafted, AFLW Pride Round was something I looked up to. It's one we hold super close to our heart.
"It's so brave everyone can be themselves...It's about having conversations that it's normal, okay and that you're loved."
Ballarat hosted its first AFLW premiership season match in March with the Bulldogs taking on Brisbane Lions. The Bulldogs will return next season to host Geelong, then St Kilda in October with the club's spiritual home base Whitten Oval undergoing redevelopment.
Bulldogs Pride community group leader Amy Fraby-Jenkins said the silver lining of Whitten Oval being unavailable was bringing a rainbow pride event to Ballarat.
Ms Fraby-Jenkins said the move would mean so much for country Victoria's LGBTIQA+ community, whether they grew up or moved to country Victoria.
"It's so important that the LGBTIQA+ in regional Victoria get as many events, and maybe even more support, than we do in the big cities," Ms Fraby-Jenkins said.
"...We're really excited as well and passionate that we support local community groups to be involved in this, to make sure it is a real community event that supports and builds the capacity and pride and safety and pride of the LGBTIQA+ community in Ballarat and regional Victoria."
IN OTHER NEWS
City of Ballarat mayor Daniel Moloney hosted the official pride game announcement at Mars Stadium on Wednesday morning. Cr Moloney said this added to a string of major female sporting events coming up for the city, including four Women's Big Bash League games in October announced this week.
"[AFLW] Pride Round means a lot to us. One thing we need to see is greater community representation in Ballarat...There are so many benefits to playing sport well and it shouldn't matter on race, gender, culture or sexuality. It's about having people visible of all backgrounds."
Western Bulldogs' latest deal with City of Ballarat and the state government features at least one AFLW home game at Mars Stadium each season.
Bulldogs' chief commercial and strategy officer Kon Karavias said this would stand once Whitten Oval came back into play. Mr Karavias said the possibility for more games would depend on how the expanding AFLW competition unfolded.
AFLW will feature all 18 national league clubs this coming season in a 10-round competition as the league continued to build depth.
Mr Karavias said Pride Round was a special feature in AFLW and this made a "pretty easy" decision to bring the game to the 'Dogs' Ballarat home, for all western Victoria.
Western Bulldogs v St Kilda in AFLW Pride Round is at Mars Stadium on Sunday, October 16.
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