Dear misogynistic men - an open letter.

Dear all of the misogynistic men.

You don’t care do you? You don’t care for the future of women’s sport, especially rugby. You’re sitting behind your screen right now feeling like a king, because you think you’ve defeated us. You haven’t defeated us and you never will.

Who gave you, a man, the right to comment on women’s rugby saying that you don’t care? Saying that no one cares. How can you seriously type that and feel it’s okay to post? I have a question for you. What are you, an ‘uncaring’ man, sitting commenting on something you supposedly don’t give care about? If you truly didn’t care, you’d scroll by and move on with your day. But you didn’t do that did you, misogynistic man? You commented to fuel our strength and to boost our weaknesses. This discrimination will make us grow stronger.

I read that you said no one cared about women’s rugby? Have you read into the facts and statistics about women’s rugby? No? Well I’ll explain some for you. Across the globe, 2.7 million women play rugby conservatively. Women’s rugby is also growing much faster than men’s rugby, and this is the main reason why rugby is the fastest growing sport worldwide. If every women’s rugby player had at least one friend/family member interested in watching them play, that would be at least 5.5 million people who care about women’s rugby. So, take that in and appreciate that we care.

I hope you change your thoughts surrounding women’s rugby at some point soon. I hope your daughter/wife/relative etc doesn’t have to be in such an environment where your fragile masculinity leads you to disapprove of them playing rugby. They deserve enjoyment just as much as you do.

I’m so disappointed that you were taught in such a way where kindness wasn’t a necessity. Society is a forever changing thing, and do you not think that you should be changing with it? Boys like you are the reason why so many females, young or old, are afraid to come out of their shell and try a new sport, like rugby.

We fear everyday that we aren’t going to be accepted, and you’ve proven us right. Are you not ashamed of yourself?

Have you ever considered how much effort us as sportswomen have to put in? If not, let me explain once again for you. Yes, we have to train, play, and some have to do schooling/work, and we have to train equally as hard as the men, if not harder. On top of all this, we have to face a battle that no one in any industry should experience. We have the battle of discrimination, the battle of adversity. We put in 110% and more week in, week out. Not only do we do all of this, but you’ll find that the community of women’s rugby is one of the most accepting and supportive that you’ll find.

The pressure we’re under as a community to grow as the game is constantly changing is huge. What you’re not realising is many female rugby players are struggling as it is, without remarks from men like you. Don’t be the reason why someone stops loving and playing rugby.

How can you seriously be that arrogant to believe that a youth rugby team of boys will beat the Red Roses rugby team, the best team in the world in the time of writing this. The women’s six nations, Allianz premier 15’s and other competitions like this are all levels of elite sport, and as much as you disagree with this, they always have, and always will be.

If you’re a rugby fan, you should be accepting and supportive of all kinds of rugby. Not only men’s rugby. You should be a fan of the game. If you’ve never bothered to watch a game of women’s rugby, I highly suggest you watch it and rethink your way of speech toward it.

You joke that it was such a shame that the women’s six nations has been postponed, that you’re going to have nothing to watch now. But the truth is, you’re right. It is a shame, as many people of all ages and genders were looking forward to this six nations period. The world cup is quickly approaching and they needed this as a warm up tournament.

Did your parents not ever teach you that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all? What do you think you’re doing by commenting on posts like the one I’ve seen you comment on? You’re certainly not achieving anything other than contributing to this mess.

We’ll keep smiling, progressing and promoting change. I really hope that you change too. Lighten up, and stop bringing other people down, because it’ll do you, neither the person you’re bringing down, any good.

If I had to give you one piece of advice, I’d tell you to be kind and respectful. One compliment will go a long way in today’s society.

Are you intimidated by the growing power that women’s rugby holds?

If you aren’t intimidated, you should be.

Grow up and accept that you’re living in a world of change.

Yours sincerely,

Ashleigh Rollins - on behalf of the women’s rugby community.