Andrew Bogut is not happy about gender inclusive options on his 6yo son’s soccer rego

Former Aussie NBA star Andrew Bogut has sparked a wave of criticism against Football Australia over a minor, inclusive detail in his son’s soccer registration.

Former Aussie NBA star Andrew Bogut has sparked a wave of criticism against Football Australia after coming out on the attack over a minor detail in his son’s soccer registration.

Bogut took to Twitter to air his disappointment in the national sporting body for having gender inclusive options in a drop-down box on his six-year-old son’s soccer rego form.

Former NBA star Andrew Bogut was not happy with his son's soccer registration form. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images.

The list included options for male, female, non-binary or gender fluid players to select, and a fourth for those whose “gender identity not sufficiently represented”.

Bogut shared a picture of the list to his followers, directly calling out Football Australia.

“Signing our 6 YEAR OLD! Once again, 6 YEAR OLD! up for soccer,” he wrote.

“Cmon @FootballAus.”

Signing our 6 YEAR OLD!,
Once again, 6 YEAR OLD! up for soccer.

Cmon @FootballAUS

😑😑😑😑 pic.twitter.com/EZHkQQYElC

— Andrew Bogut (@andrewbogut) February 28, 2023

The tweet split the internet, with plenty agreeing with his message and plenty poking fun at the 2015 NBA champion for raging against such a minor detail.

“Did the drop down menu trigger you, Andrew? Are you triggered???” one user wrote.

“Would a solution for Andrew be to just be slightly less triggered,” another replied.

Would a solution for Andrew be to just be slightly less triggered?

— Sam Healey (@samhealey1) February 28, 2023

Many noted the option was probably there for the whole club, not for junior players.

Others shared a similar outrage to the retired athlete.

“Sheesh @FootballAUS should be ashamed,” reality TV personality Adam Kuhn wrote.

The Australian journalist Lilly Vitorovich said it was “ridiculous and heartbreaking to think it’s an option at (six)!”

I feel the same way when my 3yr has to fill out their own tax forms. Heartbreaking on a 3yr old

— Gary (@creepyduude) February 28, 2023

Did the drop down menu trigger you, Andrew? Are you triggered???

— Dave (@Mesut_Ausil) February 28, 2023

Good on @FootballAUS for being wonderfully inclusive and open-minded! Hope your 6 yo has a blast this season Andrew.

— Sarah Jones (@ozsarahj) February 28, 2023

“That’s a standard form mate,” ABC journalist Matt Bevan wrote. “Are you suggesting they adjust it just so the parents of (six year olds) don’t freak out at having to check a box?”

Many didn’t understand the outrage over such a minor detail, saying Bogut should have just ticked the box that applied to his son and move on.

“Wouldn’t it just be easier to just answer the question and move on? Why do we choose to pain ourselves over these small things,” another user replied.

“Could just tick a box and move on big guy. Don’t sweat the small stuff.”

That’s a standard form mate. Are you suggesting they adjust it just so the parents of 6yos don’t freak out at having to check a box?

— Matt Bevan (@MatthewBevan) February 28, 2023

I think at 6yrs old, most (read: all) kids will have their parents completing the registration so to me this is a non-issue. For older participants, the drop down menu choices may be relevant. Makes sense to have a standard form for all categories🤷🏻‍♂️

— ウエイン　チャン　🎾🥅🏎 (@waynesaurus) March 1, 2023

Could just tick a box and move on big guy.

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

— Alex Strauch (@strosh33) February 28, 2023

Football Australia said it was proud of the diversity of its sport, and the registration form reflects that.

“Football Australia is proud that our game is the most diverse and inclusive sport in Australia, where our sport and communities offer a safe and welcoming environment for all participants irrespective of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, cultural background, or ability,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

“Football Australia’s registration platform reflects our game’s diversity and inclusiveness, where it asks a series of set questions, with a drop-down feature, where participants can select options that best align with the way in which they identify.”

Football Australia is among the founding members of the Pride in Sport program, the country’s first and only sporting inclusion program, specifically designed to support sporting organisations toward greater inclusion of LGBTQI+ players, volunteers, officials, and spectators. Pride in Sport declined news.com.au’s request to comment on Bogut’s tweet.

The Progress Pride Flag was printed on Matildas players’ jerseys at the 2023 Cup of Nations Match against Spain, following Football Australia’s partnership with Sydney WorldPride Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images.

In 2020 Football Australia was one of 13 National Sporting Organisations that pledged to develop trans and gender diverse inclusion frameworks for heir sport.

At the time, Pride in Sport National Program Manager, Beau Newell, said the commitment demonstrated a “fundamental shift within Australian sport towards the greater inclusion of trans and gender diverse athletes”.

The AFL was among 13 organisations to pledge to better include trans and gender diverse people in sport. Picture: Scott Barbour/Getty Images.

“The demand for more inclusive sporting cultures makes clear that Australian society increasingly expects that sport should be for everyone, including trans and gender diverse people,” he said in a statement.

Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said with the announcement the body was committed to “introduce measures to promote inclusion and make football accessible to all”.

“We look forward to working with Pride in Sport to formalise frameworks and guidelines that promote inclusion for trans and gender diverse people within our game – be they at the grassroots or professional level, in administrative roles, or any other capacity,” he said.

“Football is the world game and it is our mission to make football inclusive for all.”

The Socceroos were the first World Cup team to address Qatar’s continued criminalisation of homosexuality.Picture: Joe Allison/Getty Images.

Ahead of the 2022 World Cup, the Socceroos were the first team to publicly address the fact homosexuality is still criminalised in the host nation Qatar.

And, this year, Football Australia announced it was partnering with Sydney WorldPride 2023 in an effort to continue its “ambition to become the most inclusive and welcome sport for all Australians”.