Playing By The Rules: On And Off The Field

Department of Media and Communications

Associate Professor Catharine Lumby
Catharine Lumby is a journalist and academic who has been widely published in the Australian and international print media. Her academic research has predominantly focused on gender, sexuality and representations of both in popular culture and she has published numerous books and articles in the field. In 2004, she was approached by the National Rugby League to coordinate a large research project into the attitudes and behaviours of rugby league players towards women. She is currently conducting research for the NSW Department of Health into the impact of gender on health futures and is co-authoring two books: one with Duncan Fine on media representations of children and families and one with Professor Elspeth Probyn on teenage girls and media consumption.

Ms Kath Albury
Kath Albury is an Honorary Research Associate in Media and Communications. Her research focuses on sexuality in media and popular culture, particularly issues around sexual ethics, politics, health and education. She is a member of NSW Health Ministerial Advisory Committee on HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections, and has worked as a sexuality educator for various organisations, including the National Association of People with HIV/AIDS. Kath was a chief investigator on the Understanding Pornography in Australia research project. Her first book Yes Means Yes: getting explicit about heterosex was published by Allen and Unwin 2002. She is currently writing a book on sex, friendship and practical sexual ethics for Melbourne University Press.

Dr Michael Moller
Dr Michael Moller is a graduate of the Gender Studies program at the University of Sydney. He wrote his PhD on fan communities in Rugby League and currently teaches a course on masculinity studies in Gender Studies.

Mr Clif Evers
Clif Evers is a PhD student in Gender Studies and is writing his PhD on masculinity and surfing culture. He teaches in Gender Studies in the field of masculinity studies.

Ms Megan Le Masurier
Megan Le Masurier is a PhD student in the Media and Communications Department. She is currently writing her thesis on popular feminism and the history of Australian women's magazines. Her research interests are in gender, sexuality and popular media.

Catharine Lumby's interest in encouraging positive behaviour in young men starts at home.

The Playing By The Rules project

The Playing By The Rules project had two central aims:

• To measure, define and map attitudes and behaviours towards women across the League, with an emphasis on current first-grade players, using qualitative and quantitative methods.
• To use this information as evidence on which to base recommendations about education and mentoring programs, codes of conduct and any other relevant approaches to ensuring fair treatment of women.

The following methods were used to support these aims:

• A comparative analysis of international research and education and mentoring of professional athletes around attitudes and behaviours towards women;
• A comparative analysis of international research and practice around codes of conduct and informal protocols in the area;
• Qualitative research into historical and contemporary attitudes and behaviours towards women across the League;
• Quantitative research into contemporary player attitudes and behaviours towards women, including a provision for benchmarking these attitudes and behaviours.

Confidential interviews were conducted with players, CEOS, Chairs, senior management, coaches, trainers, administrators, welfare officers and women working in rugby league including journalists and club staff. An anonymous questionnaire was also administered.

The recommendations are currently being rolled out and Catharine Lumby and Kath Albury have ongoing roles with the National Rugby League to ensure that the education, welfare and codes of conduct initiatives are implemented successfully.

National Rugby League

The findings and recommendations of this research project were compiled in the Playing By The Rules report, a summary of which the National Rugby League has made publicly available.

Department of Gender Studies