Tennis Australia, in conjunction with Member Associations, is committed to embracing diversity by ensuring our sport and events welcoming, safe and inclusive for everyone. We believe that being inclusive is reflecting the diversity of our local communities and that everyone should have the opportunity to be included and engaged through tennis in a way that is positive and meaningful for them regardless of their sex, sexuality, gender identity or any other defining characteristic.

Inclusion is about providing choice for people to participate in sport in a way that they feel comfortable. As well as, mainstream tennis opportunities, there are a variety of LGBTQ+ specific initiatives that people can choose to participate in.

OUR COMMITMENT

Tennis Australia is committed to increasing opportunities and accessibility to tennis for LGBTQ+ people through:

• • • • Engagement with LGBTQ+ stakeholders and community
      • Educating clubs and coaches
      • Providing pathway opportunities
      • Creating equal playing opportunities through community events and tournaments

INITIATIVES

Glam Slam

The Glam Slam is an international tennis event sanctioned by the Gay Lesbian Tennis Alliance (GLTA) and held in Melbourne during the Australian Open. This event is an opportunity for participants who identify as LGBTQ+ to participate at both competitive and social competitions. So far, we’ve hosted over 200 participants from over 30 countries around the world.

> Learn more about the Glam Slam

GLTA

The GLTA is a non-profit global LGBTQ+ sports organisation that sanctions over 70 competitive tennis events across the globe each year. Competitive and social tennis pathways also include the Perth Lawn Tennis Championships, OUT Hobart and the Glam Slam event.

> Learn more about GLTA

Club Pride Nights

The aim of the Club Pride Nights initiative is to educate and support tennis clubs on how they can be inclusive of their local LGBTQ+ community by providing a welcoming and safe environment. It is also an opportunity for tennis clubs to lead the way on advocating zero tolerance towards homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and interphobia.

RESOURCES

Transgender Inclusion Guidelines

We are proud to share our Transgender Inclusion Guidelines for community tennis.

The purpose of the guidelines is to create awareness and inform clubs, coaches, participants and volunteers on how they can be supportive of people who identify as transgender. This resource also includes tips on how to foster positive experiences for all.

We thank Pride in Sport and our stakeholders for their support in developing this important resource.

LGBTQ+ Engagement Guide

As inclusion is about welcoming and including people from all walks of life, this resource provides insights and tips on how clubs can engage with participants who identify as LGBTQ+.

This also extends to including volunteers and supporters who also identify as LGBTQ+.

> VIEW: Tennis Australia’s LGBTQ+ Engagement Guide

You can also find additional LGBTQ+ resources here:
> Pride in Sport
> Proud2Play
> Pride Cup
> Minus 18
> The Gender Centre
> Trans Hub

PARTNERSHIPS

We are proud to work alongside our partners to grow the game throughout the LGBTQ+ community across Australia and around the world. Our partners have guided us on updating policies and procedures, ensuring inclusion of people who identify as LGBTQ+ to participate in tennis at all levels, whether that be as a player, official, spectator, volunteer or staff.

VicTennis and Glam Slam

In collaboration with Tennis Victoria and VicTennis, our commitment in providing opportunities for people who identify as LGBTQ+ to participate in tennis has been given a boost with the inclusion of the Glam Slam event during the Australian Open. This event for both elite and social LGBTQ+ players from around the world is a fantastic opportunity for all participants and spectators to celebrate diversity and inclusion through tennis.

Pride in Sport

Tennis Australia is a proud member of Pride in Sport and recently received Gold Sporting Organisation recognition, for being one of the most inclusive sporting organisations for the LGBTQ+ community.

Since 2019, Tennis has been a recipient of the Pride in Sport awards:

We are proud of our achievements and will continue to strive to provide equitable access and opportunities for all LGBTQ+ participants in tennis with support from Pride in Sport.

Proud2Play

We have engaged with Proud2Play to increase opportunities for LGBTQ+ community members to take part in tennis programs from grassroots level to competition pathways. Proud2Play have also contributed to the development of our policies and resources, as well providing educational workshops for our workforce, clubs and coaches.

Pride Cup

While Pride Cup has grown in popularity with AFL and netball across the country, Traralgon Tennis Club was the first to stage this event for this sport in 2018.
Pride Cup has been instrumental with supporting Tennis Australia on their journey, providing advice on various LGBTQ+ initiatives including AO Pride at the Australian Open. They have also provided workshops for our workforce, clubs and coaches.

If you would like more information on how you can participate in LGBTQ+ initiatives, please email [email protected]

If you require additional support and/or guidance from Tennis Australia regarding welfare/member protection matters, please contact our TA Integrity & Compliance Unit (TAICU) on [email protected]

If you require additional information or confidential counselling support, the following LGBTQ+ organisations can provide guidance:
> BeyondBlue
> ACON
> Lifeline
> QLife
> Switchboard

Tennis Australia strongly advocates zero tolerance on attitudes regarding homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and interphobia within our sport.