Super Netball: Melbourne Mavericks defender Liv Lewis on celebrating pride and being part of the LGBTQIA+ community

Liv Lewis has opened up on how netball helped her embrace her sexuality and how she wants to use her profile to help other young women be their true selves.

Melbourne Mavericks defender Liv Lewis wants to be a figure in the LGBTQIA+ community for young netballers to look up to, following in the footsteps of players who made it easier for her to openly “be myself”.

Now representing the community with pride, Lewis said the path she navigated coming out was made easier by having the likes of former Diamonds’ star Ash Brazill and former Fever and England player Stacey Francis-Bayman to look up to.

While the high-flying Mavericks’ defensive star said she had always felt well supported and accepted in the netball world, she had been given the confidence to be herself by the path others had navigated before her.

Now, the 26-year-old wants to be the same role model for other young netballers.

“I have been really lucky in netball, I have never felt like an outcast,” Lewis said.

“I think that in general in society things have changed a lot probably in the last 10 years and especially since I have come out.

“And what was a really cool thing for me when I was coming to terms with my sexuality and how that fit into netball, especially as such a massive part of my life, was that I felt like there were people that I could look up to.

“Like Ash Braz was playing at the Fever at the time and Stacey Francis-Bayman came in a little bit after and they were both out proudly. Them being themselves helped me feel like I could be myself as well.

Melbourne Mavericks defender Liv Lewis wearing the team's pride dress. Pic: Melbourne Mavericks

Olivia Lewis of the Mavericks and Mary Cholhok of the Firebirds compete in an aerial duel.

“I think that’s where I can see a lot of value in my space and what I can give to the sport is hopefully being that person to another young netballer.

“By just being myself openly, hopefully it gives someone else the confidence to feel like they can do that as well.”

Lewis revealed she had reached out to former champion wing defence Brazill to thank her for the example she had provided her as a young netballer and said Francis-Bayman had been equally inspiring as a teammate at the Fever.

“I just kind of messaged a ‘thanks’ to her I guess,” said Lewis, who will celebrate pride this round.

“I was lucky enough to be at Fever at the same time as Stacey Francis-Bayman. I feel like it wasn’t so much a conversation, it was more just how open she was about her relationship with her partner at the time, wife now — Sara — I feel like she was a real trailblazer in that space.

“It wasn’t a big deal, it was just who she was and she was just unashamedly herself, which I feel like in general, the pride aside, was really inspiring to be around someone who was just so confident in being themselves and Stacey was someone that was like that for me.”

Melbourne Mavericks’ defender Liv Lewis competes for the ball against Queensland Firebirds. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

Now in her seventh season in Super Netball, Lewis was 19 when she came out and felt the netball environment had been supportive, but she realised that was not the case for everyone in wider society.

“At the time, I felt pretty well supported, especially in the netball space, it wasn’t really a massive deal and I feel like I have definitely seen a lot of growth since then as well,” Lewis said.

“I feel like I have been pretty lucky in how I have been accepted quite widely and especially being openly out at netball. I have had a lot more positive feedback than any negative.

“But in general, I think there is a really long way to go. It extends past just coming out as far as sexual orientation, I think that gender orientation is a really big thing as well and I think there is still a long way to go as far as accepting people who don’t fit the gender binary.

“I think that education around language, around allyship …. is really key as far as making sure sport is a safe space for young individuals who are queer or a part of the LGBTQIA+ community and feeling accepted.”

The Mavericks will show their support for the LGBTQIA+ community wearing pride-inspired dresses for Saturday night’s clash against the NSW Swifts at John Cain Arena.

“Having a designated round for pride is pretty special,” Lewis said.

“Personally being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community …. I think that visibility is just so important.

“I feel like rounds like pride really send that message that you’re accepted as you are, it’s a safe space and really celebrating that aspect in netball, in sport, in the wider community.”

Originally published as Super Netball: Melbourne Mavericks defender Liv Lewis on celebrating pride and being part of the LGBTQIA+ community