AFL star Mitch Brown has revealed that he came ‘dangerously close’ to becoming part of the manosphere – the loose collection of male-focused online communities associated with spreading sexism, misogyny and toxic ideas about what it means to be a man.
The former West Coast Eagles player had his brush with the anti-woke digital world after his marriage broke down in 2024 – and his reaction to a video featuring influencer Abbie Chatfield acted as a warning sign.
Brown, who made headlines when he came out as bisexual in August last year, was reeling from the collapse of his relationship with netball star ex-wife Shae Bolton-Brown at the time.
‘This is not something I find easy to admit,’ he told The Guardian.
‘I struggle to reconcile that version of myself, as recent as two years ago, with the man I am today and the values I so strongly believe in.’
Brown said he was vulnerable to getting sucked into the manosphere because his nature as a ‘people pleaser’ left him with ‘very few opinions of my own’, and because the marriage split made him feel like a loser, a failure, and a ‘s**t dad’.
Mitch Brown (pictured with partner Lou Keck) has revealed that the breakdown of his marriage led to him coming ‘dangerously close’ to getting sucked into the online manosphere
The former West Coast Eagles star said he is ‘repulsed’ by some of the beliefs he developed as he was vulnerable to the content on male-focused online communities
Brown said one of the signs he was falling for the ‘subtle thread of misogyny’ came when he found himself agreeing with videos slamming feminists like Abbie Chatfield (pictured)
‘My world became tiny and that’s where my dependence on the online world grew,’ he said.
‘None of the content I was consuming was overtly harmful; I wasn’t looking for dating advice or tips for the gym.
‘I understand now that it was the subtle thread of misogyny that wove its way through the content fed to me by the algorithm.
‘I watched videos of people criticising feminist voices like Abbie Chatfield and found myself agreeing with them. My political beliefs started to change.’
Brown explained that Bolton-Brown and his current partner Lou Keck ‘interrupted the cycle’ and helped him break away.
‘I am repulsed now by some of my actions and beliefs from that time, but neither woman ever turned their back on me (although both, particularly Shae, had every right to),’ he wrote.
In March, Australia’s e-safety Commissioner warned that ‘almost half of children aged 10 to 17 years have seen or heard offensive, sexist or hurtful things online about girls or women’.
The Commissioner gave parents a range of recommendations to help stop their children from getting involved with the communities, and Brown believes steps must be taken to stop young men falling for the ‘lure of victimhood’.
Brown said the ‘lure of victimhood’ attracts young men to toxic communities
‘Rather than shaming these men, we need to sit alongside them, understand their pains and frustrations, and guide them to take accountability for their own lives, happiness and impact on others,’ he said.
The 37-year-old – who played 94 games for the Eagles from 2007 to 2016 – is now a prominent voice for gender equality and a leading campaigner against homophobia.
He recently accused the AFL of driving queer players into hiding when he was criticised for not wearing a tuxedo to the league’s Hall of Fame ceremony.
Brown attended the black-tie event wearing a sleeveless mesh top and was slammed by critics including fallen footy great Wayne Carey.
In a post, Brown argued the backlash highlighted broader issues surrounding inclusion in football and claimed commentary about his appearance was ’emblematic’ of why there are still no openly queer men currently playing in the AFL.
‘I understand that many people assume that wearing a shirt and tie equals respect. What is missing from this assumption is the decades of frustration, hurt and exclusion that strict, gendered dress codes have caused to members of the queer community,’ he said.
