LGBT+ Representation in Tennis at the French Open

According to Pink News, there's 5 gay women in the French Open providing us with LGBT+ representation in tennis. Click here to see their Facebook video of them. 🏳️‍🌈🎾

So, we have 5 sapphic women out of how many in the Grand Slam women's draw? There's 128 women in just the singles main draw alone!! But there are 240 singles players between the main draw and qualifiers. So the percentage is much worse than that because it's 4 out of 240 and 1 more, Demi Schuurs, from the doubles draw. The main draw is comprised of 104 women who, simply through their ranking, go straight to the main draw. The qualifying draw is also a draw of 128 players, 16 of whom won all their matches to become the qualifiers who go forwards to the main draw. Then there's 8 women who gain entry through gaining wild cards. That's called LGBT+ representation? 🤣 

Yes, generically, it's LGBT+ representation 🏳️‍🌈, albeit miniscule, but they are only representing one category within the LGBT+ community, that of sapphic women, since, I think I'm right in saying, there are no 'out' gay or bi+ men and no-one in the women's or men's draw are 'out' as partially or fully non-cis. For instance, no trans players and no players who openly identify as any of the many full or partial gender identities under the non-binary umbrella. So, as far as we know, the only 'out' tennis players are cis sapphic women 👭👩‍❤️‍👩👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩 - great! 👍 We need more sapphics on tour. But it's not enough: where's the rest of the LGBT+ community? 

Are there any sapphic women in the qualifying rounds? 

There should be but I can't find them on the list.

Tara Moore is beset with problems. A good British doubles player. Absent for two years for an incorrect doping ban. It was the contaminated meat she ate. 

Guillermina Naya: retired in a match last December in Argentina. That's the last one she played as far as I can see.

Conny Perrin, ranked 109 so should be playing in the French Open, played in Italy last week (ITF). She has a good ranking, why play ITF? I wouldn't be! I'd be either just slipping into the main draw, if they're are some withdrawals, or playing as a seeded qualifier. 🤔WTF!

Anyway, those on this video are:

Schuurs is only a doubles player so not in the singles draw. She has slipped down to a ranking in the 800's in singles, but is 12 in doubles. Seeded 3 in the doubles.

Minnen, is in the singles draw but around 70 something. So we won't see much of her. Playing doubles as well but unseeded.

Kasatkina, is a singles player ranked around 13 so should see her! 

Betkas, is playing singles but is ranked 98. So won't see much of her. She's just come off playing in Japan on carpet! Not helpful! I practised a lot on carpet, not a home carpet! At an indoor tennis centre! I like the surface but where are the tournaments? Very few are on carpet!

Podoroska, (Argentina) is ranked in the 50's so may see her. Will be playing doubles (unseeded).

So out of 5 it comes down to 3 that might end up on your screen. I'm feeling a little underwhelmed by this news!