I wanted to be part of the Thrive with Pride Program because I've always believed that sport can and should be used as a force for good. I am excited by the opportunity to learn and develop alongside an amazing community of athletes across the country.

As a proud member of the LGBTIQ+ community, I want to show that sport is for everyone. I hope that through this program we can help those who currently don't feel safe to engage with sport to get involved in something they may already love or find a new passion.

I hope to help encourage a culture where LGBTQ+ athletes feel safe, valued and supported within Australian sport.

To create an inclusive environment not only within my own team but through other sports we share our training environment with at QAS. I want to prioritise increasing awareness and improving inclusion safeguarding within this environment.

I'm a triathlete from South Australia. I made my Paralympic debut in Paris in 2024 after finishing the 2023 season ranked second in the world. I'm a passionate LGBTIQA+ and disability advocate, using my lived-experience and education in these fields to champion diversity, inclusion and equity. Outside of sport I'm an Exercise Science & Clinical Exercise Physiology student, triathlon and strength & conditioning coach, and disability peer mentor.

On top of raising awareness for LGBTIQA+ inclusion in sport (including HP sport) through the promotion of my TWP involvement online/on social media, I hope to partake in more speaking engagements and run some initiatives at my triathlon club, TriSA Events and for AUSTriathlon, particularly focussing this year on up-skilling our triathlon staff and athletes and getting them on board as active allies.

Being a part of the Thrive with Pride Program is an important opportunity for me to show up for the queer sporting community and give back to those who have supported me, whilst also paving the way for safer and more inclusive sporting spaces for future athletes.

I want other queer people, both young and old, to see themselves better represented in sport.

Embracing my sexuality has been an extremely challenging journey, but my current sporting environment has accepted, celebrated and empowered me to become my genuine self. I would love to become more informed about LGBTIQ+ topics so I have the ability to promote the power of inclusion within sport. What an incredible world it would be if everyone had the confidence to accept all and be true to oneself!.

Having a disability and being uncertain about my sexuality created many challenges growing up. Being a part of different sporting environments has significantly enhanced my life! It has allowed me to discover my strengths and find communities where I feel valued and safe to be my authentic self. Therefore, I would love to continue to strengthen the inclusive nature of sport to ensure that everyone reaps the physical, social and emotional benefits that being active can provide.

I want to take action and provide engaging opportunities to create a more inclusive space within my sport of Alpine Skiing and Australian snow sports. I want to be part of a diverse collective of athletes working towards the common goals of creating an inclusive environment for all to enjoy sports. Through sharing ideas and lived experiences I believe this program can help me to promote an inclusive snow-sports environment by creating a positive and impactful learning community.

I believe that sport is for all to enjoy, just as the mountain is for all to enjoy. I would like to educate and create inclusive and safe spaces for all to enjoy snow-sports.

I returned to the role as a Thrive with Pride Ambassador because I saw how important it was to community to have someone who identifies with intersectional identities speaking out on issues that are important. Visibility increases awareness and awareness starts the process to inclusion and equity.

I hope to be a role model for other young disabled queer folk and I also want to start the conversation around accountability in queer spaces back to the people that they serve. I want to make sure that systems are actually working for folk, not against them.

Sport should be a safe place for all. I am grateful for the opportunity through Thrive with Pride to be able to create positive change so everyone can experience the joys of Australian sport.

I hope to help make sport more inclusive, safe and accessible for everyone. I hope to develop initiatives focussing on connection and education.

I am cross country skier and am a part of the Australian national team and a professional marathon racing team based out of Switzerland. I come from a small country town outside of Melbourne, and have been based between Australia and Switzerland for a number of years now due to my skiing commitments.

I’m a member of the Australian team for male artistic gymnastics and I’ve had the honour of representing my country on numours occasions. My passion for elite sport is ignited in my competitive spirit, pursuit for excellence and ambition to inspire future generations of athletes.

I hope to make a difference in this space by being at the forefront of education, awareness, and activism.

I compete in a sport that has fantastic programs and support of LGBTQIA+ athletes at the elite level, but needs further support at the grass roots level. I believe that being open about my sexuality will impact the broader lawn bowling community in a positive way, showing that an athlete can compete in a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment.

My aim as an ambassador is to reach those who don't understand that an individual's sexuality should have no bearing on their ability to enjoy our sport. I want to help educate those who disapprove, misinterpret and exclude an athlete that may be different from others.

Everyone in society has a right to feel included, valued and respected. And sport is unique in that it can be a vehicle for societal change. It can lead the way for society to follow and demonstrate how these values can be embedded and at the fore in everything we do. The Thrive with Pride program creates an opportunity for me to aid my sport in implementing these values. And for that opportunity, I am grateful.

I am hoping to make a difference through educating and engaging with the community around LGBTQIA+ inclusion. It is important to me because I believe that young athletes should know that there are people like them in sport, and that they are not alone. Sport brings people together and I believe it should be used as a vehicle for inclusion and progression within our society.