Disney+’s Matildas: The World At Our Feet is the best LGBTQ+ series you’re not watching
Australia’s national football team, the Matildas. (Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside/Getty)
Disney+’s latest series Matildas: The World At Our Feet follows the celebrated Australian women’s national football team – and it’s a powerful display of queer joy.
From celebrating the Lionesses’ triumph at the Women’s 2022 Euros and crowning former Lioness Jill Scott as the first lesbian Queen of the Jungle to the fierce debate around the FIFA Men’s World Cup taking place in anti-LGBTQ+ country Qatar, the global LGBTQ+ football scene has seen massive highs and lows over the past year.
Historically a cis straight male discipline, the football world is slowly starting to broaden its horizons, particularly when it comes to hearing the stories of badass queer women climbing the football ranks.
Enter the Matildas, the Australian national women’s football team, who are bringing powerful representation to the LGBTQ+ sporting community down under.
As the FIFA Women’s World Cup approaches, which takes place on the Matildas’ home turf in July 2023, the “inspirational and intimate” new Disney+ docuseries is shedding light on their preparation for the life-changing tournament – as well as their tough personal journeys along the way.
Across six episodes, the team, made up of internationally renowned players including captain Sam Kerr, forward Emily Gielnik and midfielder Tameka Yallop, share moving insights into their experiences growing up as queer women.
In one especially emotional testimony, Gielnik reveals how she hid her sexuality from her Croatian mother all her life until her teammates gave her the confidence to come out with their unconditional acceptance.
“I tried everything to live this lie for years,” she recalls during one episode. “There were a lot of dark times. To be honest, if I didn’t have football, I don’t really know what other outlet I would have had.
“The Matildas is a support system around everyone being equal and open, and I finally realised: you love who you love.”
We also follow Yallop and her wife as they navigate parenting their daughter Harley during the team’s intense training camp and witness the vocal solidarity from straight teammates who uplift their LGBTQ+ teammates and fans alike.
“I can’t wait for the world to see our true love, dedication and passion for the game and our country,” Kerr said in a statement.
At its heart, Matildas: The World At Our Feet is a love letter to the unparalleled joy of unapologetically pursuing your life ambitions.
“Despite all their hardships, one goal follows them throughout – to leave a lasting legacy and inspire future generations to pursue their dreams,” reads the official synopsis.
Riding high on an uplifting display of queer joy, there’s no doubt you’ll be rooting for them by the end.
All six episodes of Matildas: The World At Our Feet are available to watch now on Disney+.
