Sarah Taylor, one of the all-time greats of women’s cricket, took to social media to announce that she and her partner, Diana Main, are expecting a child, along with pictures of the two together and a sonogram of their baby.

“Being a mother has always been my partner’s dream,” Taylor wrote to her nearly one million followers across her social media profiles.

“The journey hasn’t always been an easy one but Diana has never given up. I know she will be the best mum and I’m so happy to be a part of it.”

Taylor’s place in cricket’s pantheon is backed by countless historic moments, including winning both ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year and ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year, becoming the first woman to play premier men’s cricket in Australia, as well as becoming the first woman to coach a senior English men’s team in 2021.

In addition to a wave of congratulations from across the cricket world on starting a family, she was also inundated with many willfully confused commenters in the following days who asked how it was possible that two women could have a child together.

In response, Taylor shared a series of tweets speaking candidly about her own sexuality, the process of IVF and the normalization of queer families more broadly.

“Yes I am a lesbian, and have been for a very long time,” she wrote. “No, it’s not a choice. I am in love and happy, that’s what matters. Every family is different…how it operates and how it looks. Educate yourself before passing judgement. The baby will be loved and supported.

“We are all brought up differently with differing beliefs, I do not pass judgment on others. I will however pass judgment on hate, mocking and abuse. You do not belong here. Love who you want as long as you’re happy. Thanks to all who sent love and support. Love is love.”

Taylor’s announcement adds to the growing visibility of LGBTQ players in women’s cricket, like fellow English cricketers Katherine Brunt and Nat Sciver who married last year and whose relationship was spotlighted in a BBC feature for LGBT History Month over the weekend.

Speaking on the day-to-day pressures of living out with her partner, Brunt’s experiences echo some of the friction that we saw Taylor face last week coming out as a high-profile figure in a sport with millions of fans around the world.

“When I walk down the street with Nat in a normal environment, I go through the question, ‘Should I hold her hand?’ before I hold her hand, and will then decide while I’m holding it if that’s OK. And I have to go through that process every single time that happens, which is shit, and I don’t want to have to,” Brunt recounted in a 2022 interview with BBC’s Jack Murley.

“But the more and more I do it, the more comfortable you can do it, and the less time it will take between asking yourself that and doing it.”

Having such prominent leaders in the sport like Taylor speak so plainly about her relationship will hopefully make some of these daily negotiations a little less complicated for others in the LGBTQ community.

Huge congratulations to Sarah and Diana on their news, and we wish them the best on their journey ahead as parents.

Don't forget to share: