Oh, to be a fly on the wall at the AFL’s headquarters this week.
Not only do we have a couple of high-profile affairs and the same number of resignations, slowly emerging is a workplace culture where men reign supreme, their power, money and influence trumping the desire – and need – for women to be accommodated in what’s appearing to be a man’s world.
On Sunday, The Herald Sun exclusively reported on the existence of a more toxic kind of culture, revealing some men in the office created a ‘Top 10’ list of female employees they, you know, wanted to sleep with.
A female staffer told the paper she was told her ranking on the list was number five.
On Thursday night, football operations boss Simon Lethlean and general manager of commercial Richard Simkiss resigned over allegations they had conducted "inappropriate" relationships with younger, female members of staff.
It's not clear if Lethlean or Simkiss were involved with the list.
“People have made two significant mistakes and have been held to account,” AFL Chief Gillon McLachlan told reporters.
“I think we are being clear about what we stand for as an organisation and the two men have taken accountability for their actions in a way that I think is commendable.”
The news of the list comes just days after The Herald Sun, in breaking the story about the affairs, also reported how AFL insiders were concerned with how women were being treated at the organisation, with whistleblowers seeking to bring the issues to light in a very public way. Just last month, the organisation was given a report into a review of its respect and responsibility policy towards women.
But surely being on a most-eligible-in-bed kind of list is the highest compliment for a woman, right?
Yeah. Right.
Top Comments
...because women at work have never talked with peers about who is hot and who is not.
Such as hypocritical nanny state we have become. At least as it relates to men's behaviour. Women can do what they want.
grow up, men*. Seriously.
*and by men here, I mean the men in the AFL involved in this stuff. I do not mean all men, as I know that this is a toxic culture that is allowed to fester and that not all men, by any means, are like this.