Why do slurs and booing make the headlines, but the progress and good news never does?

Most of what you see online would make you think that queer people only appear in sport when they’re beckoned by a slur. In reality, we're here year-round; thirsting over World Cup kits, protecting the changeroom goss that stays in the changeroom, and never fully recovering from the Bird–Rapinoe split.

That’s the premise of Benched: a new podcast hosted by four-time World Cup and three-time Olympic footballer Hannah Wilkinson, friendly neighbourhood bisexual and former AFL player Mitch Brown, and award winning internet gremlin with a national badminton ranking Rudy Jean Rigg. 

Benched rejects the trolls in the comments section who reckon we should keep politics and identity out of sport. Instead of debating whether they belong, the team gets on with talking about sport as it actually is: messy, funny, emotional and shaped by the people who play it. The first episode of the season features candid, untold stories from non-binary AFLW legend Darcy Vescio, who is the first to take the bench in a line of iconic bench warmers. 

Dropping fortnightly, episodes will be released as both an audio podcast and a full video series on YouTube, with short-form clips straight to your TikTok and Instagram feeds.

Host and Executive Producer Rudy Jean Rigg says; “Sport doesn't exist in a vacuum. It shapes culture, politics, identity, internet culture and the way we see ourselves, and all of those things shape sport right back. Benched was built for that intersection.”

“We're not interested in recycling the same takes everyone else has already heard. We're here to tell the stories that actually reflect how people experience sport today” Rudy shares. Queerness isn't a topic here, it's baked into the show's DNA. We're just a bunch of queers who love everything sport brings into our lives, on the field and off it. 

Alongside Rudy on the bench, are their two co-hosts Hannah Wilkinson, and Mitch Brown, bringing fresh perspectives, personal insights and a shared love of sport to every conversation. First-time podcast host Mitch Brown shares; “Sport is at its best when everyone can see themselves in it. I’m thrilled to join Benched to celebrate the moments that make sport great, while shining a light on how inclusion makes our games, clubs and communities even stronger.” 

Launched as Pride Cup’s first original show, Benched is a response to years of hearing total misinformation about LGBTIQ+ people in sport. Benched Producer and Pride Cup Engagement Director, Caitlin Bunker, shares her pride in this project; “Queer people are often talked about in sport, but rarely talked to. Usually it’s in moments of conflict, controversy or pain, but that’s only a tiny part of our story. We’re athletes, fans, teammates and sports tragics. We’re a passionate, vibrant community with plenty to say, and it’s time the conversation reflected the joy we find in sport, too.” 

Building on that joy, Hannah Wilkinson shared; “I’ve played in everything from community football to kicking goals on the World Cup stage, I know how important feeling empowered is at every level. It’s time all sports fans feel like they’re first string.”

Benched covers the stuff sports fans actually talk about: the big questions, the messy moments, the ridiculous debates and the LGBTIQ+ sporting icons we can’t stop thinking about. It’s the queer sports chat we’ve been missing, and the one everyone’s invited to join. Except @Dave_trucks89 in the comments, not you. 

Episode 1 will drop Wednesday 5 August. 

Contact for interviews [email protected]

Pride Cup acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government in producing this podcast.