Gay Games History

Dr. Tom Waddell, an American decathlete in the 1968 Olympics, conceived the Gay Games as a way of demonstrating to the world that LGBT athletes were as talented and competitive as any others.

The 2014 Games in Cleveland and Akron will be the ninth installment of an event that has moved around the world:

Gay Games I

San Francisco, 1982: About 1,350 athletes competed in Waddell's hometown. Eleven sports were offered at the inaugural event.

Gay Games

San Francisco, 1986: The number of competitors more than doubled, and a Procession of the Arts was added that included concerts, exhibits, plays and films. International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics, an alliance of

competitive swimmers, was

formed the following year as a result of connections made at the Games.

Gay Games Vancouver, 1990: The Games became a truly international event, hosted outside the United States for the first time and drawing more than 7,300 participants from 39 countries.

Gay Games IV New York, 1994: Women's wrestling was added to the Games a full decade before

LGBT ALL-STARS

outlookohio.com

Kye Allums: In 2010, as a starting guard on the George Washington University women's basketball team, Allums became the first openly transgender athlete in major-college sports.

Glenn Burke: He was out to teammates and coaches during his 14-year baseball career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland A's, and he came out publicly in 1980, two years after retiring. Burke's claim to fame: He invented the high-five.

Jason Collins: When he played his first game for the Brooklyn Nets on Feb 23, Collins became the first openly gay ac-

tive player in one of North America's four top sports leagues. He came out in

2013 in a Sports Illustrated cover story.

Rudy Galindo: In figure skating, a sport where gay men mostly have stayed in the closet, he became the first out US champion in 1996.

Brittney Griner: The three-time All American basketball player for Baylor was the top pick in the 2013 WNBA draft. In her first game with the Phoenix Mercury, she dunked the ball twice to tie the league record.

the sport joined the Olympics. GGIV drew 12,000 competitors from 40 countries. Another highlight: Diving champ Greg Louganis came out during his address at the opening ceremonies.

Gay Games V Amsterdam, 1998: The Games marked a milestone in the fight for LGBT acceptance in mainstream sports when British Sports Minister Tony Banks publically voiced his support for British athletes competing at the event.

Gay Games VI Sydney, 2002: Organizers made special outreach efforts to the Asia/Pacific region, increasing diversity at the Games and drawing competitors from 70 countries. The full Australian AIDS memorial quilt was displayed, along with quilts from 10 other countries.

Gay Games VII Chicago, 2006: GGVII was the first in which corporate sponsors saw the potential in reaching LGBT con-

sumers, and the Games reaped more than $13 million from airlines, liquor companies and other busi-

nesses.

Gay Games V

Cologne, 2010: German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, who is openly gay, attended the opening ceremonies. The event featured 35 sports.

Whether they came out after leaving their sport or while still competing, here are some out athletes whose achievements on and off the field are worth a gold medal:

Billie Jean King: She won 39 Grand Slam titles during her professional tennis career and used her fame to fight sexism in sports. She came out publicly in 1988.

Greg Louganis: He won five diving medals in three Olympics and received the first perfect score in international competition. He came out publicly as gay and HIV-positive in 1994. Louganis will take part in the Gay Games Opening Ceremonies on Aug 9.

Martina Navratilova: She won 168 singles tennis titles, more than any other tennis player in history. She also won 58 Grand Slam tournaments. Since coming out in 1981, during the prime of her career, Navratilova has been outspoken in her advocacy for LGBT rights.

Bob Paris: The 1983 Mr. Universe was one of the first pro athletes to come out while still competing. He and then-partner Rod Jackson were a staple of gay magazine covers in the 1990s.

Robbie Rogers: Come back to Ohio!

Renée Richards: She won a landmark court ruling in 1977 to compete in the US Open women's tennis tournament after being barred because she was transgender. The United States Tennis Association fought her back then but inducted Richards into its Hall of Fame in 2000.

Robbie Rogers: When he came out in 2013 and then signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer, Rogers was the only openly gay professional athlete in North American sports. He played with the Columbus Crew from 2007 to 2011.

Michael Sam: He's about to become the first openly gay player in the National Football League. Sam came out in February after finishing his college football career with the University of Missouri. He's currently with the St. Louis Rams.

Tom Waddell: The decathlete competed for the United States in the 1968 Olympics. After attending a gay bowling tournament in the 1970s, he was inspired to start the Gay Games in 1982. Waddell died in 1987.

Source: Igbthistorymonth.com

august 2014 17