Historic WAFL Pride Game Kicks Diversity and Inclusion Goals Wednesday, August 2, 2023 - 9:24 AM

Reigning Premiers West Perth have seized the opportunity to stage the club's first WAFL Pride Game against Perth at Pentanet Stadium on Saturday. 

The venue will be a sea of rainbow colours as the club celebrates inclusiveness and a willingness to learn. 

All players in all grades from both clubs will be wearing specially designed rainbow socks. 

Featuring a motto of “Proud to be Belong”, the Falcons are using Pride Week to help people at the club understand and be part of an education process. 

The week includes a player education session with former West Perth, West Coast Eagles and North Melbourne great Dani Laidley, who has been open about her life struggles, substance abuse and her transgender life. 

West Perth staff, members of the club’s board, and those from the local football community will also take part in an education session by Pride WA and facilitated by Misty Farquhar OAM. 

The session will focus on respecting and understanding sexuality and gender, along with the differences between sexuality and gender, examining the impacts on LGBTQIA+ people, and ways to build respectful relationships. 

West Perth President Dr Neale Fong is proud of the initiative. 

“This is a key moment for ensuring our club and footy more generally has an increased understanding of issues of gender, sexual identity and dealing with the many and varied people in our communities,” Fong said. 

“It is also an important start to removing the continuing and unfortunate stigma that still surrounds the LGBTQIA+ community involvement in mainstream sporting competitions.”