‘You Posted What on Facebook?’ Sport,Sex and the ‘St Kilda Schoolgirl’

Abstract

Throughout 2010–11, a series of sex scandals involving a young woman, AFL players and staff occurred, largely enabled through both social and traditional media. Through this case study, this article questions the power of social media to facilitate an individual's challenge to traditional power hierarchies, exploring the interactions between social media and the news media in gaining public attention. I also uncover the patriarchal ideologies that shaped the way the scandals played out, highlighting the narrative and discursive strategies employed to dismiss Duthie's actions. She was portrayed as a child, a ‘woman scorned’ and/or mentally ill, ultimately disempowering her. The case is a powerful illustration of the continued influence of patriarchal ideologies in curtailing women's power, which is only amplified by the interactivity of social media.