'Some comments were barbaric... I chose to take a step back from social media'

Wales international Georgia Evans has spoken out about the online abuse she has received for wearing make-up and a bow in her hair while playing professional rugby.

In an interview with the Partnership for Male Youth, a US non-profit campaigning to highlight online bullying and how young men can protect women in sport, the Saracens forward detailed the personal impact of comments made about her appearance during the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

“I am a female rugby player. I’m currently playing for Saracens Women and I’ve been here for the past five years. I’ve also been professional with Wales for the last three, and I will always be very proud to have represented my nation with the girls alongside me,” said Evans.

“Myself and many other athletes from across the world have just come together for what is the biggest World Cup women’s rugby has ever seen. In my second week of being in camp, I was going through some of the comments online. I am known for wearing my pink bow – I’ve worn it since my first cap and I will continue to do so – but I came across a number of comments. People said I should concentrate on my playing rather than my appearance.

The lock admitted that while she was able to laugh off some of the comments, the fact that family members and teammates were also exposed to them made the situation more difficult.

“I went through a few and had a little bit of a giggle because some of them were just barbaric, but others hit home a little bit more. It was only when multiple people from my team and my family had seen these comments, and were taking them quite personally for me, that I chose to take a step back from social media. I needed time to process it and make sure I was protecting myself as best I could.”

For Evans, the issue is not criticism of her performance, which she accepts as part of being a professional athlete, but the level of scrutiny directed at her appearance.

“When you’re in the media you have to be very aware that you’re opening yourself up to public scrutiny for how you play. That is our job, it’s part and parcel of what we do. But I don’t think anything should be as personal or directed at somebody’s appearance, especially when we put ourselves on that stage.”

She explained that expressing herself through make-up and her trademark bow is about feeling comfortable and confident, not about detracting from her game.

“I express myself with a bow. I wear a full face of makeup and I put my eyelashes on because I feel good in the morning when I get up and go to rugby. I can still look feminine and still look silly whilst doing my job, and doing it to the best of my ability. If it gives young girls – and even young boys – the realisation that you can be who you are, you don’t have to change what you look like or who you are as a person just to do what you love, then that makes it all worth it for me.

“Shining a light on the minority of comments about my appearance was important because it was also a statement: I’m not going to change who I am, and nobody else should feel the need to either.”

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The Saracens forward rounded off by highlighting what she believes supporters can do to help women’s rugby grow – not grand gestures, but the small acts of encouragement that make a difference.

“A lot of young people, young boys and men that I’ve met over the last couple of weeks, have asked what they can do to show their support for the women’s game. It’s as simple as thinking before you comment. It’s just turning up. Not every young boy or retired old man needs to wear a pink bow in his hair – that’s not what any of us expect. But just by showing up, just by watching us for five minutes, just by taking your little sister or your neighbour out for a kickabout, it goes a long way.

“If you can support one female in your life doing what she wants to do in sport, that’s enough.”