Croissants, coffee, and confronting the culture of British Tennis. 🎾🥐🏳️🌈
Pride in Tennis Membership Officer Dan Rogerson speaking during a fireside chat at the LTA Pride Breakfast on June 12 2026.
Pride in Tennis Membership Officer, Dan Rogerson (He / Him), speaking during a fireside chat at the LTA;s LGBTQ+ Pride Breakfast on Friday June 12, 2026.
A massive thank you to the LTA for hosting an incredible event and for the official launch of their new LGBTQ+ Plan at the HSBC Championships Tennis 2026, Queen's Club London.
During the event, our Membership Officer, Dan Rogerson, sat down for a brilliant fireside chat with Jon Holmes from Sports Media LGBT+ and Outsports. Dan didn't hold back on what it actually takes to make our sport inclusive at the grassroots level. He pointed out that while initiatives like Friday Pride Days are incredible for building awareness, the real challenge is dismantling the invisible barriers that exist in everyday club life.
"One of the things that a lot of people are either perceiving or experiencing is that kind of toxic masculinity within these spaces," Dan noted, highlighting that even the perception of an intimidating, male-dominated culture is enough to keep players away.
He also touched on the reality of playing in rural communities where an aging demographic might simply lack the vocabulary to foster inclusion.
"It's not because these people aren't nice people," Dan explained. "They just haven't had the skills to understand the language, you know, how to talk about these things."
This is exactly why the LTA's new LGBTQ+ Plan is so vital right now. Built around the core strategic themes of "Visibility" and "Culture", the plan sets out to ensure that support for our communities is "VISIBLE AND UNEQUIVOCAL". It’s about equipping leaders and venues to foster an environment where everyone can bring their authentic selves to the court, turning passive awareness into active education.
We've got the awareness. We've got the plan. Now, let's get to work.
Find out more about LTA’s full LGBTQ+ Communities Plan here.
Find your tribe: click below for a list of where to play tennis with an inclusive and accepting environment.
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