In her recently released autobiography Bloom, Man City and Matildas star Fowler revealed she was subjected to racism and differential treatment during her time in France. In her book she recounts how she and another team-mate, Ashleigh Weerden, were handed bananas instead of the flowers that other players received at a farewell presentation. For Fowler, the incident was not a simple mistake, but one of several instances that led her to question if she was being singled out. In her book, Fowler describes how moments like being disciplined for driving home with Weerden made it difficult to believe the discriminatory treatment was unintentional.
The struggle was compounded by a club physiotherapist's disbelief of a serious chest pain complaint, and contributed to Fowler experiencing depression, self-harm, and considering leaving professional soccer. This public disclosure follows a period of increasing attention on racism in women's football, with other players also speaking out about their experiences.
