COLLINGWOOD recruit Liv Lewis says she was one of just three openly queer players in the Super Netball league last year.

While that experience was from a far smaller pool of athletes (80 players, compared to 540 AFLW players), the newly minted key forward has experienced a vastly different demographic since making the switch from the relatively heterosexual world of netball to the AFLW, which has its roots in the queer community.

While standalone Pride games exist within Super Netball, the competition does not have a dedicated Pride round, while Lewis was able to represent the Pies at the AFLW launch of the two-week celebration.

"Something I've always really admired about the AFLW is how it's embraced the Pride space especially, and diversity in general. I think a lot of professional sports have so much to learn from the AFLW, and Pride is one example of that," Lewis told AFL.com.au.

"Having the official launch with all the guernseys on show was really special, as was having Laura Kane there as a strong representative from the AFL. The fact it's played across two rounds, and every single team has a guernsey – if all people take away from Pride Round is the guernseys, it's still putting Pride at the front of people's minds, and it sparks conversations."

Former Collingwood netballer and footballer Ash Brazill – now back playing in Perth for Fremantle – has long been a role model for Lewis, both as an athlete and a representative for the queer community in the comparatively heterosexual world of netball.

"I've never had the pleasure of being in a team with her. She was playing for the Fever (netball) before I got to the age where I became a training partner, and then when I came through, she'd moved to Collingwood," Lewis said.

"I've always watched her from afar, but 'Braz' is the type of person where I always knew I could pick up the phone and call her if I ever needed to.

"There's no crossover between the SSN and AFLW seasons, so people have asked me if I'll combine the two like 'Braz' did, but she was the exception, an absolute freak of an athlete, no one else could do what she did.

"I've spoken in the past about how representation in the queer community at the top level in netball is really slim. 'Brazzy' was out at a time where even socially, it wasn't as accepted – we forget that gay marriage was only made legal less than 10 years ago.

"Players like her, (English netballer) Stacey Francis-Bayman – who is also an ex-teammate of mine – are people I really look up to. They're not necessarily massive advocates, but they're just out athletes and being themselves."

Lewis had been out to family and friends, and was happy posting photos of herself and now-fiancée Riley Graydon (the pair are getting married in Perth in December), but chose to speak publicly about her sexuality for the first time as a 24-year-old in 2023, sharing her story through the Melbourne Vixens' content channels.

"I was feeling comfortable in my sexuality, and it was almost a bit of an obligation on myself to be that person (like Brazill and Francis-Bayman) for the next generation of players. I wasn't necessarily doing anything out of the ordinary, I was literally just existing as myself," she said.

"I'd been with my partner for two years, and I was still a young one in the team, but inclusion round was approaching – netball didn't really ever have a league-sanctioned Pride Round, we had inclusion round (which also championed other aspects of inclusion). I thought it would be a good time to be a voice."

Lewis had no background in football aside from growing up a mad Fremantle supporter in Perth, but as a fan of the sport, had an eye on switching allegiances from netball to footy, and had a growing sense of 'FOMO' (fear of missing out).

Manager Cam Read had approached a number of AFLW clubs on her behalf, and she eventually settled on Collingwood as her team of choice, signing as a cross-sport rookie ahead of this season.

Playing in a league with a two-week Pride Round is a happy bonus.

"I've been reflecting a bit on acceptance versus belonging. As a queer person, you can be accepted in a space, but you're essentially being tolerated – 'we'll allow you to be here, but that doesn't quite mean you have the freedom to be yourself'," Lewis said.

"Whereas belonging is that celebration of you, you belong in that space. You're celebrated. You're free to be your authentic self. I think that's what Pride Round brings to the forefront – members of the LGBTQIA+ community are not just accepted in society, we belong in society. And that distinction is really important."