Tayla Harris just got immortalised with a Bronze Statue....

[Luv_our_club]

When it comes to women in sport, or lack of recognition, I find it ammusing those who are vehemently defending Tayla Harris and the statue are the same ones who are attacking Margaret Court and demanding her name be removed from show court one.

Your argument makes no sense.

It is like saying every black American should believe OJ is innocent.
Every women should support Julia Gillard.

I hope for your sake that you see that your point of view doesn't make sense.

 

[master bate]

Here's why I think it's way too premature or silly, not wrong or upsetting or angering just silly:

1. Harris has had a short career which has been notable for leaving her home town Brisbane Lions to boost her profile in Melbourne and a part time semi-professional boxing career. She has not been particularly special on field. There's every chance in 20 years her career fails to reach any particular heights or be remembered for anything on field. It's a statue, it's going to last forever, surely the person has to be memorable? What if she's the next Mo Hope and crashes and burns, heaping all this extra responsibility on to her. What is she's the next Ben Cousins or the next Margaret Court (on a different issue not gay marriage I would've thought)?

2. She wasn't making a Nicky Winmar style protest at the crowd. Nor was it a Peter Norman moment of defiance. It was a great photo of her normal kicking action. The AFL tweeted the photo, the trolls latched on to it as they are prone to do, then the AFL botched it and deleted the photo causing their own scandal. All Tayla did was speak on the issue after the fact that it's her right to play footy in shorts. There was no protest here and the art in all of this was the photo. The statue is immortalising a photo that came to be popular from a twitter scandal. I don't like whataboutism but if Daisy Pearce makes a successful comeback from having twins I think that's one of many moments that tell the story of defiant women better than Harris' kicking action revealing a lot of leg.

Put 1 and 2 together and I just fear you'll end up with a statue that's a big fat white elephant.

Kid: 'Daddy who was Tayla Harris'
Dad: "well daughter she played 3 seasons at Carlton before being traded to Richmond for more money then had a boxing career, she's also made the paper a few times for getting on the gear and might be on the next season of Bachelor in paradise getting her kit off"
Kid: "ok, but look at this kick, that's cool, did she kick a famous goal"
Dad: "ahhh not really, it was a really nice photo of her kicking style that became popular because a small group of men made jokes about looking at her groin, oh sorry I can't say that, it's just a really nice kick, look at her leg, it's so high up"
Kid: "wow great story Dad"

 

[master bate]

There's also a couple of other reasons that I don't think are nearly as important but hey I may as well list them:
a) The AFL spend the bare minimum each year promoting the AFLW. The don't schedule it at a smart time and I don't even think the teams (being AFL teams) makes any sense either. (I'd play it in spring with 8 non AFL affiliated teams but that's for another time). What exactly does the major sponsor commissioning a statue to generate publicly months out from the season achieve? The lasting effects of the AFLW competition surely will creating a league that is sustainable for everyone involved. Too much talking up trailblazing moments and not enough focus on making sure the trail itself is wide, clear and self sufficient.

b) NAB. A big bank that screwed every day Australian's is now promoting gender equality. You know what else makes the world a better place NAB - not ripping off your customers.

 

[Luv_our_club]

What about Mo Hope? WHAT ABOUT MO HOPE?!

The photo itself was staged. A fake.

We tear down tributes to the likes of John Batman and replace them with this s**t. Soon enough we will stand for nothing, or nothing that matters.

The Batman statue was taken down by a property developer. So that is fake news... it wasn't cancelled for cultural reasons.

Women footballers are catching up. 10 years ago they were beating males their age but were told to stop playing, so we are trying to pay them back and give them a bit of a leg up. Surely that is simply and purely a positive thing.

 

[Ron The Bear]

The Batman statue was taken down by a property developer. So that is fake news... it wasn't cancelled for cultural reasons.

Batman’s name is being stricken from the record all over Melbourne.

There’s a statue of Flinders across the road and he has to stand next to this. May as well give Corey Worthington a statue since we’re determined to worship trash culture.

 

[Luv_our_club]

Kid: 'Daddy who was Tayla Harris'
Dad: "well daughter she played 3 seasons at Carlton before being traded to Richmond for more money then had a boxing career, she's also made the paper a few times for getting on the gear and might be on the next season of Bachelor in paradise getting her kit off"
Kid: "ok, but look at this kick, that's cool, did she kick a famous goal"
Dad: "ahhh not really, it was a really nice photo of her kicking style that became popular because a small group of men made jokes about looking at her groin, oh sorry I can't say that, it's just a really nice kick, look at her leg, it's so high up"
Kid: "wow great story Dad"

Kid: 'Daddy who was Tayla Harris'
Dad: "She was a useless women footballer who was known for her embarrassing female parts being shown and made fun of. It was so funny".
Kid: "Oh".
Dad: "Yeah".

15 years later, Christmas day:

Kid: "I'm sorry. My Dad is such an embarrassment".

 

[Luv_our_club]

Batman’s name is being stricken from the record all over Melbourne.

There’s a statue of Flinders across the road and he has to stand next to this. May as well give Corey Worthington a statue since we’re determined to worship trash culture.

So haughty to think you can define what should be valued as culture. So haughty. No wonder women are sensitive about the male gaze and chauvinism telling them what to value. If you don't like it then it might not be for you.

I guess you think Col Kaepernick has no right.

 

[Roobs321]

The complainers in this thread are probably storming the AWM Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as we speak. "How dare a random no-name soldier get this privilege!"

The photo means something. Harris as the subject can be seen as a co-creator of that captured moment. The cringe trolls and blundering AFL could also be regarded as contributing co-creators. The monumental message is the future we (should all) aspire towards.

 

[Ron The Bear]

The photo means something.

No it doesn’t, it was a contrivance arranged with the photographer beforehand. The entire episode was a calculated troll that gave this unremarkable sportsperson 15 minutes of fame. As trite and manufactured as anything out of Hollywood.

Monuments are for marking the passage of significant people and events, and this ain’t it.

 

[SickQwon]

No it doesn’t, it was a contrivance arranged with the photographer beforehand. The entire episode was a calculated troll that gave this unremarkable sportsperson 15 minutes of fame. As trite and manufactured as anything out of Hollywood.

Monuments are for marking the passage of significant people and events, and this ain’t it.

Yeah, and the earth is flat, the moon landing is fake, bush did 9/11 and mean is a better measure of central tendency than median.
I bet you think bigfoot is real too.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

No it doesn’t, it was a contrivance arranged with the photographer beforehand. The entire episode was a calculated troll that gave this unremarkable sportsperson 15 minutes of fame. As trite and manufactured as anything out of Hollywood.

Monuments are for marking the passage of significant people and events, and this ain’t it.

That my friends is an opinion, despite its apparent confidence in its accuracy. Feel free to seek out facts and form your own opinion.

 

[Numero Uno]

more fuel for the feminist Illuminati in their weekly episode of misandry Australia

 

[Schnitzengruben]

Can't wait 'til I'm huddled around the fire with my kids and I tell them tall tales about the most iconic footballing personalities/moments;

Nicky Winmar, Adam Goodes, EJ Whitten, Neale Daniher, Tayla Harris.

Seriously, it's just so funny. NAB have set the bar so low for women that all you need to do know is kick a ball and you'll be bronzed. Fair dinkum, talk about snowflakes and their participation awards.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

When it comes to women in sport, or lack of recognition, I find it ammusing those who are vehemently defending Tayla Harris and the statue are the same ones who are attacking Margaret Court and demanding her name be removed from show court one.

Are they the same ones or is that a generalisation?

For argument's sake however, if Tayla Harris comes out and demonstrates bigotry towards marginalised groups, I'm not going to fight for her statue.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Can't wait 'til I'm huddled around the fire with my kids and I tell them tall tales about the most iconic footballing personalities/moments;

Nicky Winmar, Adam Goodes, EJ Whitten, Neale Daniher, Tayla Harris.

Seriously, it's just so funny. NAB have set the bar so low for women that all you need to do know is kick a ball and you'll be bronzed. Fair dinkum, talk about snowflakes and their participation awards.

Talk about snowflakes complaining about these awards. Do you honestly not see the hypocrisy when you call people snowflakes while you wail away about what they are doing?

These calls hold no insult value anymore. The user may as well announce to the world they are one acting precious.

 

[KeilorUnder9s]

I put this in another thread, but it really belongs here. I was responding to a comment reg. Winmar.

I don't think it has much to do with Tayla Harris. We're talking about a population that has to fight for the existence of every serious sporting competition to play in let alone receive recognition. Even the AFL barely takes the womens comp seriously. The first AFLW Carlton/ Collingwood match a few years ago wasn't a 'sell-out' because it was a novelty, it was a sell out because it had young girls and old women flocking in to finally see their efforts come to something - hell every female in my household was streaming it live and I'm the only one of us that actually pays attention to footy. Winmar received repeated abuse in a racist society that swept it under the rug, yes - but until recently we've been written out of efforts to even get to that point. If the government want to create a statue to commemorate the Tayla Harris moment - a moment that required some supreme skill and athleticism - and more importantly the fightback against the sexist idiots and keyboard warriors who think its their duty to let everyone know just how inadequate we are, then I don't have a problem with it at all.

That first match was a sell out because it was free to attend. To be a “sell out” there must be a cost.

I have no issue with this statue but you are twisting facts.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

Talk about snowflakes complaining about these awards. Do you honestly not see the hypocrisy when you call people snowflakes while you wail away about what they are doing?

These calls hold no insult value anymore. The user may as well announce to the world they are one acting precious.

Dude, I don't care. I don't know where this statue is and I doubt I'll ever see it. Won't even cross my mind beyond tonight.

I said that I just find it funny. A 22 year old average footballer. Why her? If it's a representation of Womens Football as a whole; I get that. But she is an underserving recipient.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Dude, I don't care. I don't know where this statue is and I doubt I'll ever see it. Won't even cross my mind beyond tonight.

I said that I just find it funny. A 22 year old average footballer. Why her? If it's a representation of Womens Football as a whole; I get that. But she is an underserving recipient.

You care enough to post about it, call people snowflakes and then defend your position.

When the photo came out and she was specialised by trolls over it, the AFL community rallied to her defence, said it wasn't okay, spoke of the majesty and athleticism of the moment. She stood up for herself and spoke for a lot of sportswomen in doing so. Her achievements in the game had nothing to do with it.

Rosa Parkes wasn't the only black woman to make a civil rights stand. The man who stood in front of the tank in Tiananmen Square wasn't the only protester. Nicky Winmar wasn't the only indigenous player subjected to racism.

These things were symbolic of change or a moment when a community/country/world took notice of what is happening and whether it should be called out.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

You care enough to post about it, call people snowflakes and then defend your position.

When the photo came out and she was specialised by trolls over it, the AFL community rallied to her defence, said it wasn't okay, spoke of the majesty and athleticism of the moment. She stood up for herself and spoke for a lot of sportswomen in doing so. Her achievements in the game had nothing to do with it.

Rosa Parkes wasn't the only black woman to make a civil rights stand. The man who stood in front of the tank in Tiananmen Square wasn't the only protester. Nicky Winmar wasn't the only indigenous player subjected to racism.

These things were symbolic of change or a moment when a community/country/world took notice of what is happening and whether it should be called out.

Cbf with the argument. You're clearly more invested in this than I am. Maybe one of those snowflakes I was talking about? Lol.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Cbf with the argument. You're clearly more invested in this than I am. Maybe one of those snowflakes I was talking about? Lol.

Does it look like I'm melting?

I'm thoroughly enjoying myself.

 

[Bombermania]

That statue has better kicking action than many so called professional footballers do!

 

[underthestars]

well we could complain about it, but why? it's the perfect symbol of the times.
funny times. we'll gaze at it years from now and still chuckle about these days. once we get past them and commonsense once again trumps self indulgent righteousness.

 

[iBeng]

Man I wish I could get self righteously upset by a bronze statue that doesnt change my life in any way.

 

[Doggstats]

It's so sad this has been hijacked by people on both sides of the political isle who are trying to politicise it.

Anyone who's for this statue isn't a "snowflake" "lefty". And anyone against it isn't a "misogynist" "right wing/conservative".

Personally, I can understand why it was made. Even though she probably isn't the most deserving of AFLW players to be immortalised in bronze, it's not like there are any other players that are much more deserving.

If only there was some sort of superhero-esque AFLW player that clearly stood head and shoulders above the rest of the competition, by say, winning a bunch of premierships whilst being BOG in all of them, on top of a couple of league MVP's or something. She would also need to be some kind of super dual athlete, that let's say represented Australia in another sport on the world stage where she brought home a Olympic silver medal or the like, or maybe something ridiculous like a world championship gold medal. Since we're fantasising, let's also imagine this superhero athlete had also gone to America and won a bunch of championships at the highest level of this other sport she played too. Let's also give this superhero female athlete some type of historic social activism type moment like Tayla Harris, just to guarantee being more deserving of being immortalised. Like say, being a gay athlete or something and then controversially kissing her girlfriend as she is collecting 1 of her historic AFLW MVP awards, to which the misogynist/homophobic trolls then come out in droves with their hate and abuse online thus cementing her as a courageous advocate and hero for the LGBT community and women in general.

Far fetched? I know. If only such a deserving athlete existed. But in the meantime I guess Tayla Harris can be immortalised in bronze, even though she hasn't come close to any type of individual or team triumph in AFLW.
Though I do fear in the future when all the drama around the photo has well and truly passed/been forgotten that many people will be scratching their heads as to why Tayla Harris is the first (and maybe only) AFLW player to be immortalised in bronze(without any individual or team success), ahead of other more deserving players, *cough* Erin Phillips.... , but it is what it is.

Off topic, I found this photo of some random AFLW player that looked eerily similar to the Tayla Harris photo,

Just thought it interesting that if only this woman was as good at footy as Tayla Harris, then maybe they could of made this photo into a statue instead.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

PS arguably the greatest woman of our time wont accept statues of her
[/QUOTE]

That's not the point.

The point is certain elements spinning a tale that only in recent history have women come to the fore.

It's a load of garbage swallowed up by those too stupid to buy the spin.

By the way, Joyce Barry champion cyclist was also Australia's first female tram driver.

They're still not at the fore.