'Is it a fear?': Mitch Brown queries lack of player support, talks the 'hate' he received after bisexuality reveal

Former West Coast player Mitch Brown, who recently became the first ex AFL player to come out as bisexual, has spoken of the "whirlwind" reaction that has followed.

While he said the response was overwhelmingly positive at first, things turned when he took to Instagram to call out AFL clubs who weren't as quick to support him.

These included the likes of Collingwood, Adelaide, Geelong and Brisbane, all of whom were preparing for finals.

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Other clubs were quick to post supportive messages on social media, including the Eagles themselves.

"It's certainly been a whirlwind, and overwhelmingly, I can say it's so positive," he told radio station Triple J.

"I didn't have a role model, so if I can be that role model for young people, it just warms my heart.

"As soon as I called out those clubs … that's when I started to get the hate.

"People who were maybe uncomfortable with me in the first place … they saw an opportunity there to hate on me for another reason, not just my sexuality."

The former Eagle also pondered why only a couple of current players publicly supported him.

Collingwood captain Darcy Moore and Fremantle captain Alex Pearce were among those who did.

"Is it a fear of being associated with a queer person or a bisexual man?" he said.

"Or is it a fear of people thinking that you are gay or bisexual yourself?

"It is fear … of what that might mean for your community that you're selling videos to or marketing a football shoe to."

However, he doesn't hold anything against those who remained silent.

"I would be a hypocrite if I didn't allow people to take time for this to sink in," Brown said.

"For me, to connect with my own identity and sense of self, it's taken years."

Brown spoke of the guilt he carries after coming out as queer.

"It's a bit of an extreme sort of way to explain it, but it honestly feels like that," he said.

"I have a beautiful partner who is a woman, and I can walk down the street and not have that casting eye or that sense of homophobic behaviour.

"Am I worthy of this and is this my place to be able to hold this position that I've had over the last two weeks?"