‘I STARTED MAGAZINE... at age 11!’
YOUNG GUN REPORTER ABBIE SHINES A LIGHT ON WOMEN IN SPORT
She might not yet be a teenager, but Abbie* from Her Way magazine is already giving Australia’s top journalists a run for their money – and exclusives!
The Sydney schoolgirl is the founder and editor of the digital magazine, which covers women’s sports the way it deserves.
Launching Her Way in 2021 during the pandemic, Abbie says she was driven by a desire to change the way Australian media writes about female athletes.
Since then, Abbie, 12, has interviewed Olympic gold medallists, tennis stars, AFLW and WNBL players and Paralympians.
“The majority of sports coverage was, and still is, about men’s sport,” Abbie tells New Idea.
“One day I shared [my] frustration with my parents, and they challenged me to do something about it instead of waiting for someone else to do it.”
Abbie, then 11, picked up that gauntlet and ran with it, creating something truly spectacular. With her parents’ support, Abbie began writing her own articles and designed pages for the online magazine.
Her Way was launched in September 2021 for $2 an issue, with half of each sale being donated to UNICEF Australia’s Empower Girls Through Cricket appeal. “I don’t think any of us expected Her Way to get the kind of attention and opportunities that it has,” admits Abbie.
Starting high school this year, Abbie has now pivoted from a monthly issue to creating content whenever news or interview opportunities pop up. She also started a successful podcast, Her Way: Her Story.
“I feel really lucky to be doing what I do,” she says. “I would love to continue working in this area.”