Election2008

GAY PEOPLE'S

Chronicle

Cleveland bids to host 2014 Gay Games

by Anthony Glassman

Cleveland-If the Cleveland Synergy Foundation has its way, in six years the Gay Games will end as so many rock concerts have, with the iconic shout of "Thank you, Cleveland!"

The

newly-formed

foundation's inaugural project is an attempt to bring the 2014 Gay Games to Cleveland.

Other cities bidding on the 2014 Games are Boston and Miami.

The Gay Games have been held every four years since they were founded in 1982 by Olympic athlete Dr. Tom Waddell. Initially held in San Francisco, the Games have rotated among world cities since 1990.

The 2006 event drew 12,500 participants to Chicago for a week in midsummer; a similar number is expected for the 2010 Games in Cologne, Germany.

The Cleveland Synergy Foundation is comprised of North Coast Athletics Volleyball League president W. Douglas Anderson and secretary Brian P. Tavolier, along with their partner Jeff K. Axberg.

They held a press conference at the Hyatt hotel in the Arcade downtown on October 15 to announce their bid, and had some major power in the city backing them.

Anderson outlined some of the reasons why the North Coast would appeal to Gay Games organizers, including a wealth of sports venues, progressive government, international airport and extensive Continued on page 6

Inside This Issue

Ohio's Newspaper for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community • www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com Volume 24, Issue 9 October 24, 2008

Vote in the city

ANTHONY GLASSMAN

Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon greets Cleveland LGBT Center staff members Maureen Havelka, left, and Christen DuVernay during a whirlwind "get out the vote" tour of northeast Ohio.

She kept her message non-partisan in a nod to the center's non-profit status, but urged the gathered crowd to make use of Ohio's early voting opportunity.

Later in her October 21 trip, she joined a phone bank for the Obama campaign and appeared at another voting rally at the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland.

ERIC RESNICK

-Anthony Glassman

oriments

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Letters to the Editors ......... 6

Charlie's Calendar

Comics

Classifieds

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8

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Erin Fallon of Boston was among dozens of LGBT volunteers from Massachusetts who canvassed in Central Ohio for Barack Obama last week. Here, she speaks with Sterling Burk, who is a Columbus firefighter.

'Not So Straight Talk Express' rolls into Ohio

by Eric Resnick

Columbus-A busload of LGBT activists rolled into Ohio on October 17 to canvass battleground neighborhoods for Barack Obama and other Democrats, including Ohio House hopeful Nancy Garland in the 20th District..

The 28 volunteers, mostly from Massachusetts, paid $160 each to ride here on a bus dubbed the "Not So Straight Talk Express."

Joined by members of the Ohio Democratic Party's LGBT Caucus and volunteers from Equality Ohio, nearly 80 people canvassed neighborhoods in Whitehall, a southeast Columbus suburb.

It was the largest LGBT canvass in Ohio history. In two days, more than 8,000 homes were visited. Garland is endorsed by Equal-

www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com

ity Ohio. Her three-term Republican opponent, Jim McGregor has an anti-LGBT voting record and is considered vulnerable this year. The LGBT event was Garland's largest canvass, walking in the precincts she needs to win.

The working-class neighborhood is not solidly in Obama's camp, either. The canvassers met with much resistance.

The event was organized by openly gay Massachusetts Rep. Carl Sciortino and MassEquality director Marc Solomon.

The two decided that Massachusetts was already in the Obama win column, and that they needed to do something in a swing state.

"If I can't put my money where my mouth is, I can't complain," said Patrick Lang of San Francisco, who quit work in software sales

Continued on page 2