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“Open Pride Day”, the US Open 2021 initiative to celebrate diversity and inclusion

The LGBTQ + community was received and celebrated at the first “Open Pride Day” during the main draw of the US Open 2021 on Wednesday. The rainbow flag arrived at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center of the United States Tennis Association (USTA).

The LGBTQ + community participated during the day and evening sessions. “They were welcomed, heard and accepted in a safe environment for all, including fans, players, coaches, staff and partners ”, they commented on the website of the fourth and final official Grand Slam tennis tournament of the season, which began on August 24 and ends on September 12.

The Open Pride Day emerged as a strategy of Diversity and inclusion of the USTA “to make tennis open to all in all aspects of the sport and at all levels of the organization.” This campaign is part of the other initiative launched in 2020, “Be Open”, that proposes: “When you are open, everyone is welcome. When you’re open, what matters comes to the fore “.

Rainbow flags flew proudly at the USTA’s Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Wednesday during Open Pride Day. (Photo: US Open)

This year, in the art space “Open Canvas” works by two will be included LGBTQ + artists: Chella Man and Wednesday Holmes. Man’s work is titled “Have You Met Every Lawyer of Yourself” (Have you met each of your lawyers?). The artist was honored on Instagram and about the acrylic, glue and oil on canvas piece he created he said: “Sometimes, I felt like a crowd of people at once. A body of bodies ”. On the other hand, Holmes’ work is called “A Whole World of Magic” (A world full of magic).

The LGBTQ + community was welcomed and celebrated on the first “Open Pride Day” during the main draw of the US Open 2021 on Wednesday. (Photo: US Open)

Billie Jean King, former tennis player and icon in the United States, recognized for her fight for gender equality, was present during the inauguration of this new campaign accompanied by her partner Ilana Kloss. They both starred in a group photo with Dr. Bernard Camins of the USTA Medical Advisory Group and her husband Brian Wigley; USTA Chief Financial Officer Ed Neppl and her husband Scott Mitchell; USTA Board of Directors Secretary Treasurer and former ATP Pro Player Brian Vahaly, accompanied by his husband Bill Jones and their two children; and Megan Moulton-Levy.

On this occasion, the USTA invited different LGBTQ + organizations to attend the US Open for the first time. The USTA’s long-term plan for the community is to create a program that engages with the community in all 17 sections of the organization throughout the year.

Megan Moulton-Levy, Brian Wigley, Dr. Bernard Camins, Billie Jean King, Ilana Kloss, Ed Neppl, Scott Mitchell, Brian Vahaly, Bill Jones y su familia. (Foto: US Open)

During a press conference, when asked why there are no LGBT + players in the ATP, Felix Auger-Aliassime, a 21-year-old tennis player, said: “I started a survey within the ATP about the LGBT + community. Today it is important that we become aware of it, have an open mind. ATP needs to recognize that, it is necessary. I don’t know what the exact reason is that there are no openly gay players on the circuit, in my case, as a player, I would feel quite welcome, but I can’t know what the reason is. Statistically it is clear that there should be some, but at the moment there are not ”.

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