‘Crosses a line’ – Peterborough star Tara Mae Kirk gives brutally honest verdict to viral reaction

Peterborough Women’s star Tara Mae Kirk has revealed she has had to develop a thick skin online as her platform continues to grow.

Kirk, who became a viral sensation following her form at Posh in 2023, discussed the unwanted attention she receives on social media.

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The striker found herself catapulted into the limelight a year after joining Peterborough from WSL academy side Leicester City in 2022.

The 22-year-old was the club’s top scorer in her debut season, scoring 12 times to help Posh finish fourth in the Women’s National League.

However, announcements of her goals attracted over 5 million views on X, with comments on the posts related to Kirk focusing on her appearance rather than her skill on the pitch.

The forward admitted that sometimes attention online ‘crosses a line’ while appearing on talkSPORT’s Women’s Football YouTube channel.

“Yeah, absolutely,” Kirk told The Kick Back. “I never imagined the reactions that I’ve got from scoring goals. That’s my position. That’s what you’re meant to do.

“There’s always so much, I guess, spotlight on strikers. But I think when everything hit me was when the first week I’d get five million views, and then the second week I got five million. And then the third week, I got five million.

“I think it was five, six consecutive weeks where I got five million views in a row. And I didn’t, in the moment, understand the hype or whatever.

“As it went on, I thought it was all just kind of a fluke, or have they got the right person? Like, what’s all these comments about? And I thought, ‘Oh, it’s just one week. It’s not gonna happen again.’

“It’s just hype. Everything dies so quickly on social media. And then it just kept happening. I was going through the comments and trying to understand what all this hype is.

“I understood quickly that it was positive, but also crossing the line of borderline being sexist and sexualizing me. So, yeah, it’s kind of balancing the good with the bad. That’s what I’ve had to learn.”

Kirk went on to echo the thoughts of Alisha Lehmann, who has questioned why she is judged as a footballer for wearing makeup.

“Yeah, I do [have good people around me],” Kirk added. “And I think I have thick skin, but I’ve had to get even thicker skin being online.

“It’s my own choice that I’ve wanted to grow my brand and my platforms. But with that comes thick skin and having to just bat it off.

“And if you want to wear makeup or do your hair a certain way because that’s how you feel good, then you should be able to.”

More positively, Kirk’s fame has helped her become a popular content creator with YouTube videos alongside Jack Grealish and Angry Ginge.

She is also an Events Apprentice at Champions UK plc, worked as a hostess at Leicester City, and is an up-and-coming sports presenter.

Instagram @taramaekirk

Kirk talked to talkSPORT about balancing her various media opportunities while continuing her semi-pro dream at Peterborough.

Posh Women are one point clear of the FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands following a 1-0 win over Sutton Coldfield Town.

“I think I’d always love to go and play higher,” Kirk said. “I think anyone that plays football wants to go as high as they can.

“It’s just for me, with like the whole media side of things now, with the opportunities that have come from playing football, it’s how far I can push on and do them at the same time. Balancing them both.”

“…We shouldn’t frown upon it. It’s actually so great that women’s football has come this far, that it’s created these opportunities.

“So I think it should be encouraged more than frowned upon.

“I fell into it. I never planned to go viral, or I never planned to have a following.

“I love posting pictures and getting dressed up and playing football, but I never thought that it was going to break out the way it did.

“I could either run with it or completely ignore it. And I think run with it because of the opportunities and then the money side of it.

“I’m just like, let’s just have the whole thing. Anything that comes my way, I’ll go for it – as long as it fits in the reputation, obviously.”

That’s far from saying Kirk’s not still got goals in football – with one being to add to the Republic of Ireland international call-up she received at the age of 16 whilst on the books at Leicester.

“I’d love to explore going higher and higher,” she explained.

“And I think because I’ve had the call up once, I feel proud of myself, but you’re always hungry for more, aren’t you?

“So yeah, maybe I could try and get back into it.”