In a heartfelt gesture of solidarity during Pride Month, the Kookaburras – Australia’s national men’s field hockey team – wore rainbow socks during a recent match in support of their openly gay teammate, Davis Atkin.
The powerful show of unity took place during a dramatic FIH Pro League clash against England in London, where the Kookaburras overturned a two-goal deficit to win 4-3.
But beyond the scoreboard, it was the rainbow socks that captured hearts. The team’s decision was a visible sign of inclusion and respect for Atkin, who has spoken openly about his experiences as a gay athlete.
“I said to the boys this morning that I just really appreciate everyone being as inclusive as they are,” Atkin told Hockey Australia. “This was as simple as wearing socks, but I’m able to flourish as much as I can.”
Reflecting on what the moment would have meant to his younger self, Atkin added, “If I had grown up and seen my heroes run out in rainbow socks, that would have been immense… It paves the way for others to follow that journey as a high-performance athlete.”
He described the emotional intensity of the moment: “It’s hard to describe the feeling… butterflies before the match… this really means something. Seeing pride flags and feeling that inclusive environment – I just loved it. I almost cried at the end.”
On Instagram, Atkin shared a photo wrapped in a Pride flag, expressing how much the team’s support meant to him: “Being able to run out onto the pitch with pride socks together as a team was something truly special. You can’t be what you can’t see, and even something as simple as rainbow socks can be a powerful sign to someone out there that they are seen, valid and belong too.”
Atkin has emerged as a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport. In 2021, his psychologist inadvertently outed him to his coach. Since then, he’s leaned into advocacy, sharing his story and embracing outlets like makeup to express and ground himself during difficult emotional periods.
“Last year I was in a pretty dark place,” he told Outsports. “Doing that sort of stuff — it’s almost like a relaxation thing… It’s just me and my phone.”
The Kookaburras’ official Instagram account reinforced their message of inclusivity, stating: “You can’t be what you can’t see, and today by wearing rainbow socks, [the team] is displaying to the hockey community that representation and inclusion matters… and the team are proud to have a culture where acceptance and inclusion are a part of who we are and what we stand for.”
