Pride Month: How Nate Barnett and a Historic Dallas League Are Championing LGBTQ+ Visibility

USTA Texas: OLTA has an incredible legacy, having hosted the first LGBT tennis tournament in the country and becoming a charter member for the GLTA. How does that historic trailblazing spirit influence the organization's mission today?

Barnett: We see ourselves as people who take the lead on things. Being one of the charter members of the GLTA, we want to make sure that our tournament represents something that is great. All of the past tournament directors have always had that focus in mind, making this somewhere people would want to come to year after year.

Dallas doesn't have oceans or mountains or anything that would attract people naturally for sightseeing on a weekend. So, we put more emphasis on the tournament itself and making sure that everybody has a great experience when they play. That has led to people coming over and over again, and it's grown from just under a hundred people to over two hundred people last year.

USTA Texas: Since your time with the organization, how have you seen the landscape of LGBTQ+ athletes change, and what role does OLTA play in that evolution locally?

Barnett: It has changed because OLTA started back in the late '70s, and LGBT [people] were not really allowed in a lot of places. They were shunned, or they operated secretively. Over that time period, it's been proven that people can do whatever they want to, basically.

Our role of bringing people together in the LGBTQ community creates a safe space to play where you can be yourself and express how you feel. Sometimes people want to wear clothing that may not be appropriate in other areas, but they feel like, "Oh, now I can really express who I truly am here and feel okay about it." That level of expression has allowed people to become more of themselves over time. The more comfortable they were doing it around people that they were like, the more they felt comfortable doing it around other people. This is something that can be accepted by anybody. It's not trying to take away from anything that we're doing; it's just going to add to the space.

USTA Texas: For someone of the LGBTQ+ community who might be hesitant to pick up a racquet or join a league, what would you say to encourage them to step onto the court?

Barnett: I think that they should just follow their passion if that's what they want to do. Tennis is for everybody, so you can find people to play with anywhere nowadays. It's not such a stigma as it was in the past. We still have people who are private, who do not want the LGBTQ community to be the focus, but we have people that are willing to say, "Yeah, I don't mind being in these environments and showing that I can do this at whatever level I am," and playing with people who they feel really comfortable with.

USTA Texas: Looking ahead to later this year, OLTA will be hosting the 2026 Texas Open. How do major tournament events like this help strengthen the sense of visibility within the community?

Barnett: It opens people's eyes to what is possible. We have not just the LGBTQ community that participates in this tournament, but now everybody comes out and participates because they heard what a great tournament it was. It wasn't just about a particular genre; it was simply that this is a great tournament.

We have a welcome party, a banquet, and a lot of giveaways associated with the tournament that you don't get with a lot of other events. When you pay your registration fee, you get a big bang for your buck, so to speak. That has made the tournament more visible. More people are starting to play it, come and watch, see the high quality of players that come from all over the country, and appreciate the great tennis being played.

USTA Texas: As you look toward the future of OLTA, what are your hopes for the next generation of LGBTQ+ tennis players and allies?

Barnett: I just hope that they continue to grow the game of tennis and continue to operate in an area that they feel comfortable being in. I hope that they don't have to go backwards and think that we have to hide who we are to play this game, that we can wear whatever we feel like wearing, look how we feel like looking, and be ready to go out and compete to the highest level that we can. Having this group and this tournament is very impactful because it helps give more exposure to tennis. We're trying to grow the game and get into more avenues and spaces, and I think this will really help.