Wanted: LGBTQ+ Tennis Bloggers
For years, people from the LGBTQ+ community have felt out of place in sporting spaces.
In school changing rooms, local sports clubs and in stadiums as fans, the choice has often been to exist in silence or risk our personal safety. Even in cities with higher numbers of LGBTQ+ people, the anxiety is still there. And yet we know the world won't change unless we take a stand and be visible.
This, of course, includes the tennis world.
Pride in Tennis is designed to be a part of this change. We want tennis to be for everyone, but we can't do it without the voices and experiences of the people we say we represent.
So we need you! We're assembling a UK-wide community of people to blog for us, about anything related to tennis and LGBTQ+ issues.
You could write about:
- Personal stories - e.g. being a part of an LGBTQ+ tennis in the UK did [blank] for me (e.g. helped with confidence, building friendships etc)
- Setting up an LGBTQ+ inclusive club – how did you do it, what you learned, what works well?
- What the LTA need to consider to support professional players to come out
- The importance of allyship in non-LGBTQ+ specific clubs – how does your club celebrate LGBTQ+ inclusion?
Or something else that means something to you.
We also want to reflect the UK LGBTQ+ community in all of its diversity and so we invite contribution particularly from women, trans* people and people from ethnic minority communities. If tennis is going to be for everyone, it needs to be for EVERYONE.
You'll need to have some interest in tennis (either as a fan, player, coach etc) and at least have an understanding of the LGBTQ+ community (we will accept applications from allies!).
You'll have full support from our comms team and will write at least two different blogs. We're a friendly, enthusiastic and passionate bunch and would love to welcome you to the team.
If you're interested, please contact us.
About the author: Alex Hawkey (he/him) is Pride in Tennis’ joint Communications Officer. He has played tennis on and off since being a teenager and has discovered the merits of a double-handed forehand. He lives in Manchester, is passionate about equity and inclusion and prays for the day Hsieh Su-Wei returns to the women’s tour.