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The Australian Open, a very crooked Grand Slam

MELBOURNE – In informal English, it is called straight someone who feels a romantic and physical attraction to members of the opposite sex. The word began to be used in the middle of the last century, as part of gay slang, very useful in times when homosexuality was criminalized and frowned upon in most of the world.

The term that in Spanish translates as “straight” or “right” originated from the to go straight (“go straight”, or “go on the ‘right path'”) in reference to the only option accepted by society at the time.

Let’s travel a little through three different continents. We leave in Madrid.

The Chueca neighborhood, with the homonymous metro station in the central area of ​​the Spanish capital that owes its name to the Hispanic composer Federico Chueca, is one of the epicenters of the LGBTIQ+ movement (lesbians, gays, bisexuals, trans, intersex, queers, and more outside the “hetero”).

The streets of Chueca went from marginality, insecurity and drug addiction, to being a place full of good restaurants, cafes, bars, tattoo studios and art everywhere with the seal of the gay pride movement.

A group of feminist and lesbian activist women opened a very cool in the center of Santiago de Chile, inspired by the Spanish district. They called it Chueca Bar, in honor of the neighborhood and also in contrast to the word straight. They serve good beers produced only by women, by the way. They identify themselves as “Chuecas”.

The concept applies to Melbourne. The Australian Open, the most “crooked” Grand Slam of all, this Friday proudly celebrated the Glam Slam, a championship for the LGTBIQ+ community whose final was played at the KIA Arena. It is the only such event that takes place in any major tournament in the world. Multicolored flags littered Melbourne Park.

The colorful Melbourne logo on the courts of the Australian Open // REGINA CORTINA

Laura Robson, former tennis player and today a commentator for Eurosport he remembered when he had to play at the Margaret Court Arena, just on the day of celebration organized by Tennis Australia. The Briton wore a rainbow bandana in 2013, after the 70s champion after whom the court was named condemned gay marriage.

In several editions, tennis players have protested for the second most important court in Melbourne Park to be renamed.

The second week of the tournament also featured the presence of Billie Jean King, the first woman in tennis and sports to publicly acknowledge her homosexuality. King, an icon of feminism for her successful fight for gender equality in tennis, congratulated the last elite tennis player who did the same as her. The Argentine Nadia Podoroska told CLAY about how happy she feels as a couple, and Billie Jean soon came out to applaud her.

Despite the fact that tennis is one of the most inclusive sports in the world in every sense, among men no active professional tennis player has acknowledged feeling part of the LGBT community. Taylor Fritz, says that if someone came out to say that he is gay, he would be “absolutely normal”.

We continue reading from Melbourne Park on its final day. Always with pride.

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