Breaking Barriers: How Women’s Sport is Leading the Charge in Inclusivity
For many, the roar of the crowd and the thrill of competition offer more than just a sporting spectacle; they provide a sanctuary where individuals can truly be themselves. Anneli Maley, a prominent figure in women’s basketball, articulates this sentiment powerfully, suggesting that women’s sports have cultivated an environment of genuine inclusion that other sporting codes could learn from. “Women for the longest time have had to fight to be seen and so we know what it’s like to not be welcome in a space,” Maley observes. “Women’s basketball does a great job with inclusion, not just on the court but in the stadium. And I think that’s something the men’s sports can take from what we do.”
This commitment to inclusivity is evident in the growing visibility of LGBTQ+ athletes within women’s sports. Leagues and clubs are increasingly celebrating the queer community, fostering environments where openly gay, bisexual, and non-binary athletes feel seen and valued. Hayley Conway, CEO of Pride Cup, highlights this achievement, stating, “Fans of and participants in women’s sports are rightly proud of the inclusive environments they have created.” She urges other sporting organisations to follow suit, asserting, “Leagues and clubs should be doing more to learn from and expand these inclusive practices rather than sticking to the way things have traditionally been done.”
However, Conway also sounds a note of caution. As women’s sports attract greater investment and media attention, there’s a risk that the hard-won spirit of inclusion could be diluted. “When sport is a big brand and a big industry it can start to push women or people of colour back into a frame where they are less welcome to be themselves,” she warns. “What they want from them is to shut up and kick the ball … rather than to be their whole selves, which is something that women and non binary people have been able to do in sport for decades now.”
The Crucial Need for Visible Role Models
The impact of inclusive environments on LGBTQ+ athletes is profound. A national survey conducted by Pride Cup, Pride in Sport, and PwC Australia revealed that half of LGBTQ+ athletes felt more comfortable with their sexuality due to their involvement in women’s sport, with a similar proportion reporting increased comfort with their gender identity.
Despite these positive findings, the survey also illuminated persistent challenges. A significant 31 per cent of respondents reported experiencing bullying, harassment, or offensive behaviour related to their sexuality or gender. These experiences spanned various levels of sport, from community leagues to representative teams.
Echoing these concerns, an ABC survey of 152 elite athletes across 47 sports found that 34 per cent had faced discrimination based on their sexuality or gender identity, and a staggering 63 per cent had witnessed such behaviour. While not a definitive representation of all athletes, these findings align with broader research in the field.
Nikki Ayers, a Paralympic gold medallist who has since taken a hiatus from sport, shared her personal journey as a disabled queer woman. “My experience has been that I haven’t always felt safe and a reason for that is there hasn’t always been a visible role model or a visible representation within the sporting community,” she explained. Ayers recounted instances where she felt compelled to let people assume her ex-wife was male, fearing the repercussions of revealing her sexuality. “There was unfortunately some homophobia that I’ve experienced and that didn’t make me safe enough to be who I was,” she admitted.
The impact of discrimination often extends beyond the playing field. An anonymous Aussie Rules player contributing to the ABC survey noted, “Pride rounds are important rounds to promote visibility and the power of storytelling. However, when these stories or content around this round goes out online, it allows people to post harmful or derogatory comments on the specific posts. Seeing people write comments attacking myself and other girls for our sexuality can hurt sometimes. Comments like these proves why these rounds are still so important for the LGBTIQA+ community.”
Conway further elaborates that while men might face more overt discrimination, women can experience more insidious forms. “We hear women players often talking about being scared of being outed or being scared of being told that they are a lesbian, whether they are or aren’t, because they haven’t figured that out about themselves yet,” she said. “Homophobia looks different for women, but it is equally damaging and really difficult and challenging for them.”
Driven by a desire for change, Ayers has become an advocate, serving as an AIS Thrive with Pride ambassador and collaborating with organisations to develop inclusive policies and educational programs for athletes. “It brought a real sense of purpose for me in being able to advocate for myself, for my community … that you can be your true authentic self and you can be successful at the elite level in sport,” she stated.
Navigating the Complexities of Transgender Inclusion
The conversation surrounding the inclusion of transgender women in sport remains a contentious public debate, despite their relatively low participation rates. While the International Olympic Committee is reportedly preparing to release new guidelines that may restrict their participation, the Australian Sports Commission champions an inclusion-first approach.
Responses from athletes surveyed by ABC revealed a spectrum of opinions regarding the inclusion of non-binary individuals and transgender women. One anonymous respondent from a smaller sport highlighted the challenges of policy development, noting a “very little education for new coaches surrounding this topic.”
Some athletes suggested the creation of separate categories for transgender women at the elite level, while others expressed concerns about potential biological advantages. “I think that it is an unfair position for both parties to be in and I can’t imagine being excluded from competing in my sport because of my gender identity,” one athlete wrote. “But I also would feel very discouraged by losing potential opportunities to someone who was born male.”
Another respondent shared experiences of witnessing transphobia within their sport, describing “the most disgusting things said about them.” They added, “Those women have always been the kindest most respectful players and I consider some of them like family now. They understand there are biological physical differences but they have never used that to leverage themselves against less experienced players. They play smart, they play fair but they also understand that in the current climate it is not realistic for them to compete beyond regional level teams.”
The Pride Cup/Pride in Sport survey indicated that over half of gender-diverse respondents felt their local club was fully supportive of trans participation. However, this sentiment often did not extend to the broader sporting landscape. A hockey player shared, “Being specifically recognised and treated as a woman, rather than just tolerated, has made such a positive impact on my life and mental health. I am more comfortable in my gender because the people in my sport treat me with comfort.”
Conway finds the intense focus on this issue perplexing. “It’s honestly perplexing just how much focus there is on this handful of people playing community sport and just hanging out with their friends,” she commented. “For most community clubs who either have trans women in the group or who play against trans women, they have absolutely no reason to be opposed to them.”
Maley firmly supports the inclusion of transgender women at the elite level, arguing that resources would be better directed towards addressing other pressing issues in women’s sport. “The biggest threats to women’s sport is not trans women. It’s actually men thinking that it’s trans women,” she asserted. “Because can you name five WNBL players? Have you been to a WNBL game? Have you bought a WNBL membership? Do you go watch local women’s sporting clubs? That is the biggest area that we need to grow. Trans women have a space in women’s sports, 100 per cent.”
The Enduring Significance of Pride Rounds
Pride rounds and games are becoming an increasingly common and vital feature across all levels of sport, from grassroots to elite competitions. Conway points to research conducted with Monash University that demonstrates their powerful impact. “Homophobic behaviour in a club is reduced by 50 per cent after the playing of one pride game,” she revealed. “And that’s the combination of inclusion, education and the choosing to wear a rainbow jersey or something that represents what your team stands for and your shared values of inclusion for everyone.”
When held in elite sporting environments, these events serve as a public declaration of values. “Every club, every performance environment is made better when people feel more able to be themselves,” Conway explained. “So when clubs don’t invest in pride rounds, in other inclusion initiatives, they’re taking away something that could actually really help their players perform to another level.”
This sentiment resonates deeply with Ayers. “For me it’s about being visible and being out there and sharing my story and experience, so kids don’t have to grow up and have the experience that I had, thinking that it wasn’t OK to be different,” she said. “Instead they can look up and say ‘hey, here’s Nikki, she’s a person with a disability, she’s a queer person and she won a gold medal. That could be me, it is OK to be me.’”
