Welcome to the vision of Maria Antonietta Manganello, President of Yellow Sport an Italian GLBTE Multisport Association. She is the dynamite Tournament Director for the GLTA event in Rome..
The GLTA is working at local and international levels to bring more women to our events. Amsterdam, Brussels, New York, Paris amongst other tournaments are sending out a bigger than ever welcome invitation to women. Pink Ladies the GLTA women’s event in June are also reaching out to the men. They along with Madrid are offering a mixed doubles event this year. During 2012 we will be running Facebook ads and competitions for free tournament entries for women. On a personal level we will be prominently featuring and profiling women who work and play in the GLTA.
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The GLTA is working at local and international levels to bring more women to our events. Amsterdam, Brussels, New York, Paris amongst other tournaments are sending out a bigger than ever welcome invitation to women. Pink Ladies the GLTA women’s event in June are also reaching out to the men. They along with Madrid are offering a mixed doubles event this year. During 2012 we will be running Facebook ads and competitions for free tournament entries for women. On a personal level we will be prominently featuring and profiling women who work and play in the GLTA.
[...]
You are clearly a very committed GLTA’er how many tournaments do you play?
We run 3 GLTA tournaments during the year for a total of around 250/300 players. The only women Pink Ladies in Torre del Lago (Tuscany) in July, and 2 men/women in Rome in June and September. Our flagship is the Rome Open in September where we have been able to involve, in this four-day event, a whole Tennis Club (T.C.Garden) and most of its members with a great and joyful atmosphere and a perfect fusion between straight, trans and gay people. I don't want to consider this as a miracle, but just the start of commonness! Sometimes I try also to be a player, as I do every year in Eindhoven... I would really like to play more...we'll see if I can find a clone for the future!
Why do you think relatively few women enter GLTA tournaments?
In my view the female mind is more complicated than the male one....women try to be more protective, even with themselves, and rarely like to go out from their safe entourage. This determines a kind of reluctance to open up to new experiences and knowledge, even less if they are not in a relationship. For a woman, to take the decision to sign in to a tournament abroad, to book a flight and a hotel and to go there for playing by herself is the most of the times unthinkable! Clearly, not because we are not able to do it, but because we don't like to do things alone...we go in two even to the bathroom at school...
It doesn't mean that all the women are like this and that we don't like to socialise...it's just that we need the right atmosphere and, as TD, what I usually do is to give them a bit more of care and attention, trying to give them a more peculiar organization and mostly trying to involve them in groups (friends, girlfriends, women from the hosting club ...), so that from one side they feel comfortable and from the other side they experience a new nice way to open up their mind. I tell you, once you exceed this initial barrier; women are much more participatory and helpful than men!
How many players are you hoping to join you in Rome this year?
Hopefully always around 150/170 only for tennis, plus other 60/80 for 5-at side soccer (men and women). The Yellow Rome Open Tournament is part of the Yellow Week, an 8-days event, supported by the Municipality of Rome. It starts on the September 15th with the 24h Mountain Bike Rome 2012 that will be attended by about 2000 cyclists from around the world (info@24hroma.itsms). At the end of the week, we'll have around 2500 athletes and supporters enjoying under the Yellow flags between bike paths, soccer fields, tennis courts and the beautiful pool at the T.C. Garden Wonderful city, wonderful people, good food, great sports ...the mix could be successful non?
Do you have anything special planned for the tournament?
Do you need more than this? You are insatiable!!! For the 2012's edition, Yellow Sport wants to give more chances to enjoy to the participants. We have scheduled two additional sports: beach tennis and swimming. There will be no real tournaments, but some demo-competitions, open to anyone who wants to prove himself and participate at a minimal cost. All of them will be held always at the T.C. Garden that is one of the finest clubs in Rome. A few good looking bodies around are always good on the eyes, don't you agree?
On Friday morning, we maintain the practice of involving young people from the schools and we have planned a conference against violence and prejudice. This year we'll host a priest, Don Aniello Manganiello (he's not a relative of mine) who has devoted part of his life to fight against the Camorra in a part of Italy, where prejudice, silence and violence are the daily bread of the population. Hopefully it will be another building stone that Yellow Sport will put for the change of view about the diversities. Involving a representative of the Catholic Church in Rome in a GLBT event, in my opinion, is not something of little significance. And at the end, add a Welcome Aperitif on Thursday evening, surrounded by the gorgeous view of the Colosseum, and a Pool Dinner Party on Saturday night with music, dancing and a great friendly atmosphere. Don't you think it's a terrific tournament to not miss?!?
We run 3 GLTA tournaments during the year for a total of around 250/300 players. The only women Pink Ladies in Torre del Lago (Tuscany) in July, and 2 men/women in Rome in June and September. Our flagship is the Rome Open in September where we have been able to involve, in this four-day event, a whole Tennis Club (T.C.Garden) and most of its members with a great and joyful atmosphere and a perfect fusion between straight, trans and gay people. I don't want to consider this as a miracle, but just the start of commonness! Sometimes I try also to be a player, as I do every year in Eindhoven... I would really like to play more...we'll see if I can find a clone for the future!
Why do you think relatively few women enter GLTA tournaments?
In my view the female mind is more complicated than the male one....women try to be more protective, even with themselves, and rarely like to go out from their safe entourage. This determines a kind of reluctance to open up to new experiences and knowledge, even less if they are not in a relationship. For a woman, to take the decision to sign in to a tournament abroad, to book a flight and a hotel and to go there for playing by herself is the most of the times unthinkable! Clearly, not because we are not able to do it, but because we don't like to do things alone...we go in two even to the bathroom at school...
It doesn't mean that all the women are like this and that we don't like to socialise...it's just that we need the right atmosphere and, as TD, what I usually do is to give them a bit more of care and attention, trying to give them a more peculiar organization and mostly trying to involve them in groups (friends, girlfriends, women from the hosting club ...), so that from one side they feel comfortable and from the other side they experience a new nice way to open up their mind. I tell you, once you exceed this initial barrier; women are much more participatory and helpful than men!
How many players are you hoping to join you in Rome this year?
Hopefully always around 150/170 only for tennis, plus other 60/80 for 5-at side soccer (men and women). The Yellow Rome Open Tournament is part of the Yellow Week, an 8-days event, supported by the Municipality of Rome. It starts on the September 15th with the 24h Mountain Bike Rome 2012 that will be attended by about 2000 cyclists from around the world (info@24hroma.itsms). At the end of the week, we'll have around 2500 athletes and supporters enjoying under the Yellow flags between bike paths, soccer fields, tennis courts and the beautiful pool at the T.C. Garden Wonderful city, wonderful people, good food, great sports ...the mix could be successful non?
Do you have anything special planned for the tournament?
Do you need more than this? You are insatiable!!! For the 2012's edition, Yellow Sport wants to give more chances to enjoy to the participants. We have scheduled two additional sports: beach tennis and swimming. There will be no real tournaments, but some demo-competitions, open to anyone who wants to prove himself and participate at a minimal cost. All of them will be held always at the T.C. Garden that is one of the finest clubs in Rome. A few good looking bodies around are always good on the eyes, don't you agree?
On Friday morning, we maintain the practice of involving young people from the schools and we have planned a conference against violence and prejudice. This year we'll host a priest, Don Aniello Manganiello (he's not a relative of mine) who has devoted part of his life to fight against the Camorra in a part of Italy, where prejudice, silence and violence are the daily bread of the population. Hopefully it will be another building stone that Yellow Sport will put for the change of view about the diversities. Involving a representative of the Catholic Church in Rome in a GLBT event, in my opinion, is not something of little significance. And at the end, add a Welcome Aperitif on Thursday evening, surrounded by the gorgeous view of the Colosseum, and a Pool Dinner Party on Saturday night with music, dancing and a great friendly atmosphere. Don't you think it's a terrific tournament to not miss?!?
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