Australian Women Launch Campaign Against Sports Inequality

Female athletes across Australia are turning their frustration into action through a social media account that's shining a light on inequality in sports.

Not All Clubs started when a group of women athletes noticed the same patterns everywhere. Women's teams training in cricket nets while men got proper fields. Club gala events scheduled during away games. Coaches making sexist or racist comments without consequences.

"We want to be a space where we amplify the voices so people know that they aren't by themselves," says Ripley, a state-level AFL player who co-founded the group. The messages flooding their inbox tell similar stories: fewer facilities, less sponsorship, and complaints dismissed as "not a big deal."

The group shares these stories anonymously to protect sources and highlight that these aren't isolated incidents. They're systemic problems affecting women and girls at every level of sport.

This weekend marks the second annual Wear Red round, an initiative the group launched in 2025. Teams from any sport can participate by wearing two red armbands during games. One armband honors the 48 women lost to domestic homicide in Australia last year. The other drives accountability at sporting clubs.

The Ripple Effect

The movement is growing beyond social media posts. Teams across multiple sports are joining Wear Red round, creating visible solidarity at community fields and professional stadiums alike.

Ripley believes cultural change in community sports can help address broader issues with gender-based violence. "We want to bring awareness to this and hopefully educate the men how to be allies and teach the women how to fight for equality for themselves," she says.

The group isn't just calling out individual clubs. They're pushing state and national sporting bodies to take responsibility for what happens at every level. Better funding, stronger policies, and real consequences for discriminatory behavior.

The response has been overwhelming, with athletes finally feeling heard. What started as a few women sharing their experiences has become a national conversation about who gets to play, who gets resources, and who truly belongs in Australian sport.

These athletes are proving that speaking up together creates change that individual complaints never could.