INAUGURAL AFLW player turned Carlton assistant coach Aasta O’Connor has seen the growth of the AFLW’s Pride Round since its inception.

Starting as an annual Pride Game between Carlton and Western Bulldogs, O’Connor suited up for the Bulldogs in the very first match up in Round 4 of the 2018 season.

Fast forward to 2021, the Pride Game evolved into a league-wide Pride Round, allowing all teams to celebrate inclusivity, gender diversity, and welcoming everyone to the great game of Australian rules football.

Speaking on the latest episode of The Rundown, O’Connor admitted that she wasn’t comfortable being her true self when she first began playing football in Queensland.

However, as a 23-year-old, she felt more accepted when she moved to Melbourne to play for Darebin Falcons in the then-known VWFL.

“It was somewhere where I was proud to bring my family and show everyone this is okay, and it’s okay to be yourself,” O’Connor said.

“When I think about Pride Round, I reflect on the people and the communities that built AFLW, and those people who were really brave, created spaces that were safe, and a place to bring your whole self.”

Week 7 of the 2024 AFLW season will mark the eighth time Carlton will run out in a Pride-themed guernsey.

The 2024 Pride guernsey was designed by queer Vietnamese illustrator and graphic designer Zo Lam (they/them), who encapsulates the intertwining nature of both the football community and the LGBTQIA+ community.

Reflecting on the importance of visual representation to raise awareness, O’Connor says the impact of Pride guernseys is key, particularly for people who don’t feel accepted within their own communities.

“I watch young people now who maybe aren’t involved in sport and those barriers still exist for them,” she said.

“To have a Pride guernsey out there matters. You have to be seen; you have to give that person a little bit of hope.

“It’s more than sport, we’re talking about people’s lives.”

While this year’s Pride Match will be played in Perth against Fremantle on Saturday night, the Club’s connection to Carlton Pride and Minus 18 will still be prevalent.

Player-worn guernseys to be auctioned off and proceeds going to Carlton Pride, the Club’s official LGBTQIA+ supporter group, and Minus18, an Australian charity that help create safe and inclusive workplaces and schools for LGBTQIA+ members.