Bailey Smith backs burning blazer protest

AFL “it” boy and former Xavier student Bailey Smith has lent his significant clout to a protest against toxic, “patriarchal culture” in boys’ schools.

AFL “it” boy Bailey Smith has shared an image by St Kevin’s old boy James Robinson of a school blazer set alight in protest at what Robinson called its toxic and bullying culture.

The photographer said he was compelled to speak out after assault allegations were made against Collingwood player Jordan De Goey, who is also a St Kevin’s old boy.

Robinson told Page 13 it was people like Smith, who attended Xavier, Melbourne’s top Catholic boys’ school, who can help change what he called a “patriarchal culture”.

James Robinson said he broke into school grounds to set a St Kevin’s blazer on fire. Picture: Instagram

“I don’t know him personally,” Robinson said of Smith sharing the image. “But it was really wonderful, because it’s people like him who have the audience for the people who need to see it.

“He seems like he is someone who is definitely on the right page when it comes to things around masculinity, so it was really wonderful to see him share it.”

The Western Bulldogs rising star recently surpassed Dustin Martin as the most popular AFL player on social media, with 355 thousand followers and counting.

Robinson says good friends, basketball star Liz Cambage and Spider-Man actor Angourie Rice also shared the blazing image with their social media followers.

Robinson says he was planning to talk to St Kevin’s principal Deborah Barker, the first woman to be appointed head of the school in more than a century, about the culture.

“The patriarchal culture I saw inside the school gates burst out and made its way to New York, my new home for the last five years,” said Robinson referring to the De Goey assault.

“Many in my queer community, like me, are rape and sexual assault survivors.”