Clare Willows

Lover of sport, politics, science and shenanigans. Humanist. Vanilla Slice Fan. UC alumna

[Clare Willows @clarewillows]

@GeorgieHeath27 And ... it's a rest day in the TDF

[Clare Willows @clarewillows]

@awcwvlc And Lucy Finn imho

[HER WAY @herwaysports]

WATCH:
Get some tissues and watch the Jillaroos sing a Torres Strait hymn to Abbi Church to celebrate Church being named to make her Australian debut today.
🎥 Jillaroos

[Clare Willows @clarewillows]

@awcwvlc Hail queen Bethany

[Clare Willows @clarewillows]

@SBSSportau It was fabulous! Congrats to all involved with the production.
And those ladies- heroines all!

[Liverpool FC @LFC]

Liverpool Football Club are devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota.

[Garry Kasparov @Kasparov63]

Socialism is like polio, it comes back when people forget about the horrible damage it did last time.

[Lucy Zelić @LucyZelic]

Hi @Peter_Fitz - I read your column. For what it’s worth, I am not interested in trading insults. I am just curious as to why your compassion never extends to the women and girls who are genuinely affected by these issues, which exceed the parameters of sport?

You’ve painted a very one-sided picture that attracts vitriol from BOTH sides of the aisle. That you are impervious to the death threats and vile insults being hurled at women daily over their belief that the female sports category is worthy of protection, beggars belief.

Years ago, you encouraged the public to support Brittany Higgins but what of the women whose lives, religious beliefs, or experiences with sexual assault have been woven into their reasons for wanting to preserve single-sex spaces?

The lesbians, for example, who are accused of being “transphobic” and having a “genital preference” just because they are same-sex attracted?

Or the gals who just want to have fun on the basketball court without having to compete against males?

Some of the politicos and media types you slam in your piece also happen to be parents to young girls.

Most of the mothers I speak to at the local football grounds couldn’t give a stuff about the game. I could tell them that Humpty Dumpty was the coach of the Manchester City women’s side and they’d be none the wiser.

Does this make them any less qualified to care about the safety, fairness and integrity of the competition their daughters compete in?

But, according to you, we’re all just a bunch of “bastards” laughing maniacally over a glass of pinot and whipping up hatred for clicks and votes.

Is this what you’ve reduced women to?

Rage mongers, who just need to shut the hell-up or risk the ire of our friends over at Media Watch, who won’t account for those who wish to remain anonymous, or for the bureaucrats who must protect their reputations at all costs?

There’s nothing to gain for those who choose to speak out, except venom, cancellation, and the loss of their livelihood.

Your wife certainly never kowtowed to men consumed by their own arrogance but the application of your double-standards to women who are experiencing similar, is quite astounding.

And speaking of which, let’s cut through the real nonsense here - you know what a woman is, Pete.

Come on.

You married one, who gave you three beautiful children, and eloquently shared her challenging birth story and heartbreaking experiences with miscarriages. It made so many women who encountered similar, feel seen.

Those pretending that biological reality doesn’t matter, or that the lines can be blurred, will always do so until it’s time to reproduce, or find the person you’d like to share a life of intimacy with.

All of a sudden, we know who the women are.

You’re also a former Wallaby for heaven’s sake. You were known for being a “master mauler” and given that you stand at roughly 6”7, if you decided to run full pelt at Charlotte Caslick while you were in your prime - she’d be lucky to avoid a hospital visit.

Bodies play sport and the impacts of injury occur in both the elite, and amateur levels. Just ask the NSW girl who will never play again after her leg was broken in two places by a trans-identified male. Or would you like me to drag her out in public to verify this?

Because no one ever won in the court of law based on their word against someone else’s have they?

It’s easy to adopt an issue based on compassionate grounds when you’re sitting in the comfort of your mansion, but it’s far harder to cross paths with a rape survivor, who loved playing in her local women’s hockey team, until the presence of a male in her changing room triggered her.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I defended your right to have one when it came to Australian football but choosing to flippantly glaze over girls losing spots on teams and women being forced into silence? This one’s indefensible mate.

Godspeed to you though. My door is always open to chat more.

[Clare Willows @clarewillows]

@bettanyhughes @viasat @SandstoneGlobal And tonight on SBS in Australia.

[Liverpool FC @LFC]

A special rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone ❤️

[Premier League @premierleague]

Ange Postecoglou told us all...

[Liverpool FC @LFC]

WE'RE PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS! 🏆

[Liverpool FC @LFC]

You'll Never Walk Alone ❤️

[Sky Sports Premier League @SkySportsPL]

LIVERPOOL ARE THE 2024/25 PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS! 🏆

[Tim Miller @Timodc]

The president-elect launched a shitcoin to enrich himself the weekend before inauguration.

Feels like this scale of corruption should be basically the story of the inauguration if there was anyone left in the country who isn’t either in on the grift or a boiled frog.

[Glynis Traill-Nash @GlynisTN]

PERTH! My fashion-fuelled cabaret show In These Shoes is back for Fringe World this weekend! Whether you’re a die-hard fashionista or living in style denial, come along for unsolicited advice and anecdotes from a career on the front row…👠👠👠 https://t.co/a5onALmCOW

[Clare Willows @clarewillows]

@GeorgieHeath27 Done!

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

Word of the day is ‘recrudescence’ (17th century): the return of something terrible after a time of reprieve.