Sport
Team Brisbane Tennis return to the court as COVID-19 restrictions ease
Members of Team Brisbane Tennis are back on the court as Queensland’s easing COVID-19 restrictions allow sports teams to finally reunite. Last month the long-running club was able to resume their social tennis sessions every Tuesday night in Spring Hill. President Mark Thornton told QNews.com.au, “We’ve had around 12 to 16 players coming along each …
Pro soccer player Thomas Beattie comes out as gay in moving essay
Former British soccer player Thomas Beattie has come out as gay, opening up about the stigma that made him feel he had to hide who he was while playing the sport. The former pro player, who retired in 2015, told ESPN he spent years of his career feeling empty and lonely. This was despite his …
Brisbane Tritons water polo team back in training as Valley Pool reopens
Queensland’s LGBTIQ-inclusive water polo club the Brisbane Tritons can dive back into training after their local pool in Fortitude Valley reopened. The Valley Pool opened on Wednesday, after coronavirus restrictions closed all of Brisbane’s public pools in March. Tritons president Sean Langeveld (pictured, centre) said the closure of the pools had a massive impact on …
Track and field star Denis Finnegan comes out as gay
Ten-time Irish national track and field champion Denis Finnegan came out as gay overnight on the podcast Five Rings To Rule Them All. He told sports reporter Cyd Zeigler that he drifted towards coming out in recent years. Originally from Ireland, Denis Finnegan now lives in Melbourne. In 2018, he met Cyd Zeigler from Five …
Moana Hope reveals toll of AFL fans’ homophobic abuse
Former AFLW star Moana Hope has opened up about the disgusting homophobic abuse she’s seen as both a footy player and an AFL fan. Hope, who played in the AFLW for Collingwood and North Melbourne, said the abusive taunts even drove her away from attending AFL matches. She told the Herald Sun during one 2017 …
Justin Fashanu inducted into the NFM Hall Of Fame
Manchester’s National Football Museum posthumously inducted Justin Fashanu, Britain’s first — and still, only — out gay male professional footballer, into its Hall of Fame yesterday. Justin Fashanu, who took his life 22 years ago, would have been 59-years-old yesterday. Born in Hackney, Justin and his brother spent some of their childhood in an orphanage. …
Martina Navratilova goes rogue to protest Margaret Court
Tennis stars Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe have ticked off Tennis Australia with a protest against Margaret Court at the Australian Open. On Monday, Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slams was controversially honoured, with Rod Laver presenting her with a special trophy at the Open. But Navratilova, who is openly lesbian, wrote an open …
Australian Open hosting ‘Glam Slam’ LGBTIQ tennis tournament
Glam Slam, Australia’s biggest LGBTIQ tennis tournament, will take place next week at the Australian Open. Offering an authentic tournament experience, Glam Slam will provide participants with the opportunity to compete in an LGBTIQ tennis competition. Tournament director Rowen D’Souza said since the its birth three years ago, the event has “grown out of sight”. …
Natalie Cook: 2032 Olympics bid athlete ambassador
Queensland Sports Minister Mick de Brenni yesterday announced the appointment of five-time Olympian Natalie Cook as Athlete Ambassador for the 2032 Olympics bid. Natalie won gold at the Sydney Olympics in beach volleyball. In 2012, she also became the first Australian woman to compete at five Olympic Games. The minister described Natalie Cook to the …
Navratilova: Court is hiding behind her Bible
Martina Navratilova tweeted yesterday accusing Margaret Court of “hiding behind her Bible” and calling her “pathetic in every way.” The tweets come after Court attacked LGBTIQ people in her Sunday sermon in Perth, specifically taking aim at the trans community. Court last year argued for Tennis Australia to mark the 50th anniversary of her grand …