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Betoota Heights parents, Julie and Jim Buckmaster, have spent the last year in a state of panic about the worrying changes they are seeing in their teenage son.
13-year-old Cody was always a cheerful young boy who loved Pokemon and excelled in school.
But as he grows into a young man, it seems that Cody has been susceptible to the dangerous online algorithms that he was first exposed to during the pandemic.
With school cancelled due to lockdowns, and outside activity restricted due to public health protocols, Julie and Jim took the advice of the politicians and experts and put their kids in front of a screen.
As their daughters became die-hard Swifties who decorate their Crocs and Frank Green waterbottles in accordance with harmless online trends – it seems that this time spent indoors was far more harmful for their son.
Now a teenager, Cody is self-conscious and vulnerable. He has missed out on some formative years that would have otherwise been spent lighting sparkler bombs and falling of bikes.
He’s searched far and wide for a sense of belonging and ended up finding it in all the wrong places. Regardless of his parents attempts at confiscating devices and banning him from social media, Cody always seems to find a way to stare at a screen.
And that screen keeps telling him that women are the reason he feels so inadequate.
This descent into toxic misogynistic rabbit holes, and Cody’s subsequent behavioural changes, caused serious alarm for his parents.
That’s when they decided to take serious action.
“We bought him a pair of football boots and a mouthguard” said Julie.
“I never wanted him playing contact sports. I was always worried about him getting injured. I also never liked the macho culture of footy clubs. The swearing. The cheerleaders. I really didn’t want that for him”
But Julie says she’s since realised her cultural cringe was crucial to her son’s development.
“It’s brought him back to us. Now he’s looking at footy highlights and long-form interviews with his favourite coaches and footballers.”
Cody’s dad says it was a no-brainer in hindsight.
“Who would’ve thought this kid would find purpose tackling 90 kilogram Tongan kids from the other side of town”
“Talk about finding purpose. He was the toast of the footy club after putting himself in front of those thighs”
“Now he doesn’t give a fuck about that phone or the losers on it”
“I think I even saw him and his new teammates sneaking a six pack of stubbies out the back of the club on Friday night. He’s got real friends and he’s having real life experiences. We’re just stoked”
