Advocacy can take many forms and sometimes, even the quieter forms are ruthlessly condemned. Take for example one singer’s decision to wear a dress that proudly supported the Yes campaign for the upcoming Voice to Parliament Referendum.
On Saturday, at the AFL grand final in Melbourne, Indigenous singer Jess Hitchcock performed a version of Waltzing Matilda with Kalkadunga multi-instrumentalist and composer William Barton at the pre-match show.
The Melbourne-based singer wore a floor-length dress with the word “Yes” printed on front and back and the following phrases “Voice”, “You’re the Voice” and “Always Was, Always Will Be” across the rest of the dress.
Before her performance, Hitchcock joined Melbourne-based Indigenous clothing company, Clothing the Gaps in showing off their advocacy for the dress.
“Get around Saibai woman @jesshitchcock ❤️who performed with @williambartonmusic at the #aflgrandfinal and who wore her values!” the post read. “Despite, the @afl silencing any #Voice promotion on the day even though they supposedly support it – Jess stood strong!”
After her performance, Hitchcock posted a clip of her performance on Instagram. Of course, not everyone was happy about the dress. Several people weren’t happy with the mixing of sports and politics, sharing their views on X.
Last month, an AFL spokesman told Nine newspapers that Voice displays would not be run during the September finals series. This, despite the AFL (and the NRL) declaring its support for the Voice back in May.
The AFL’s decision to not actively campaign during this time was criticised by Clothing the Gaps, who wrote in a post that “any #AFL player or the Clubs @collingwood_fc or @brisbanelions could have taken this opportunity to show their support for a First Nations Voice at the #aflgrandfinal2023 – but, disappointingly they didn’t,” referring to the two teams competing in Saturday’s finals.
“Both #Collingwood & #BrisbaneLions have released statements saying they support the Voice but, today there was only one lone ranger using the final dance to influence the Nation, and she was a Saibai woman – she will be celebrated and respected but will also cop all the racism and hate!”
“It is a privilege to choose when and how to show up in support of First Nations justice, one that is not afforded to First Nations people. Today, the AFL and Clubs exercised their own privilege in deciding not to speak up and use their platform to encourage wider Australia to have conversations and write ‘yes’ to recognising, listening and better outcomes for First Nations people.”
In the same Instagram post, the brand praised Hitchcock, who has family origins from Saibai and Papua New Guinea as the “one lone ranger using the final dance to influence the Nation.”
Hitchcock’s dress was made by Nevada Duffy, an independent womenswear designer from Melbourne, who purportedly worked with the singer on the ‘Yes Dress’ creation.
It’s not uncommon for public figures to display their political agendas on their attire.
Recall Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s “tax the rich” emblazoned gown she wore to the 2021 Met Gala, and the handful of Greens Senators who rocked up to last year’s Midwinter Ball in Canberra with gowns emblazoned with strong environmental messages. Claudia Perkins arrived in a white gown with “Coal kills gas kills,” written in red and black letters while Senator Sarah Hanson Young arrived in similar style, wearing a white, floor-length dress with “End gas and coal” written on the back.