After Ellen Reports on Lesbian and Bi Women Olympic Medalists in Beijing

Lesbian/Bi Women Medal at the 2008 Olympics
by
Sarah Warn, Editor in Chief

Of the 13 out lesbian and bisexual women competing at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, six ended up taking home gold, silver, or bronze medals.
(The Games' sole openly gay male athlete, Australian diver Matthew Mitcham, took home the gold in the men's 10m platform.)

CLICK HERE for the full article.

Out Gay and Lesbian Athletes Take Home Seven Olympic Medals

RealJock.com has an article by By L.K. Regan giving a wrap up post Beijing on the Out Olympians.

Click HERE to see the full article

Gay Games Co-Presidents honor Matthew Mitcham

On behalf of the member sport and cultural organisations of the international Federation of Gay Games, we offer our hearty congratulations to Matthew Mitcham for his outstanding accomplishment in winning the 10-metre platform diving event at Beijing's 2008 Olympic Games.

Matthew's public story is still only a few months' old, but it traveled particularly quickly through the LGBT community and we became instant fans. As we followed this out-and-proud Olympian through the Internet, on television and via the print media, it was heartening to see that he was able to refocus after the 3-metre springboard contest and repeat his recent international success in the 10-metre tower event when it counted the most.

Australia's mainstream media was exemplary in covering Matthew's coming out and his quest to have his partner join him in Beijing. During Matthew's competition and subsequent win, the Australian media treated Matthew's support group on equal footing with those of his Olympic teammates. However, we note that in most of the rest of the world the mainstream media completely ignored or buried this groundbreaking story.

For years we have seen journalists ponder what would happen when an athlete came out before competing at the highest levels. There is some irony that, when the occasion finally presented itself, the gay athlete performed and the straight media backed down.

While Matthew represents an attitude change among a new generation, the media's mixed treatment of his unique situation shows there is still much to accomplish. The Federation of Gay Games will continue to do its part, raising mainstream consciousness about these issues in ways that help LGBT athletes of all levels of ability reach their goals.

Matthew has achieved a rare, dream Olympics result. His life will surely change, and we believe the humor, humility and presence of mind he's shown in the past few weeks demonstrate that he will handle it very well. We welcome him to the LGBT sports community and look forward to applauding him for many years to come.

Sincerely yours,

Sion O'Connor Emy Ritt
Co-Presidents, Federation of Gay Games

Matthew Mitcham Takes GOLD!

Read this story fresh from the Sydney Morning Herald. Matthew Mitcham does not need to be worried about being labeled as just an out gay diver from Australia.

He will be labeled the highest scoring diver ever.

Click HERE for the full story.

Federation of Gay Games salutes Olympians who Help Change The World

The Federation of Gay Games offers congratulations to each of the Out Olympians who competed at the now-closed Beijnig summer Olympics. Particular congratulations are in order for medal winners Matthew Mitcham (Gold medal in 10M Platform Diving from Australia), Natasha Kai (Gold medal in Soccer from the USA), Gro Hammerseng & Katya Nyberg (Gold medals in Handball from Norway), Lauren Lappin & Vicky Galindo (Silver medals in Softball from the USA), and Linda Bresonik (Bronze medal in Soccer from Germany).

Regardless of medal status, every one of the brave Out Olympians in Beijing deserves equal congratulations. You are more of an inspiration than you'll ever know and we salute you!

We hope to see many of these brave Out Olympians at the Gay Games VIII 2010 in Cologne.

FGG Volunteers

2008 Gay Softball World Series in Seattle News

Big umbrellas come in handy!


Gay Games Cologne- 2010 was promoted at the opening and closing ceremony and events surrounding the Northwest Quest events. The opening ceremony held at Seattle Center, was shortened due to heavy rain, but folks handled the rain, or ran inside the main buildings. Gay Games Ambassador David Kopay spoke to the softball players at the opening ceremony.

Federation of Gay Games is hiring staff

The Federation of Gay Games is seeking a Development and Communications Director.

Summary of Responsibilities: The Development and Communications Director (contract position) is responsible for development activities related to fundraising events targeted at individual donors, foundations, and corporations, including coordination of communications through e-newsletters. Working with the Development Committee, the Director coordinates and participates in all activities in these areas and in sustaining and building an annual development program.

Click HERE for a full job description.

Out at the Olympics: Judith Arndt

Here is an article about Gay Games Ambassador Judith Arndt.

By GaySports.com Staff

German cyclist Judith Arndt made her Olympic debut back in 1996 at the Atlanta Games. There, she picked up the bronze medal in the women’s 3000 m pursuit at the age of 20. She has been a force in the sport ever since.

CLICK HERE to read the full article on GayWired.com.

Gay Games sends Support To Olympics

Gay Games wishes support to the Out Olympic Athletes heading to Beijing, China. An official press release in support of Out Athletes, and an invitaion to Olympic athletes to come to Cologne, Germany in 2010 for the eighth installment of the Gay Games. The Gay Games are very different Olympic Games. Gay Games welcome all abilities.

Click HERE to read the letter of support.


The Federation of Gay Games has also issued a letter of support to the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from the Federation of Gay Games co-presidents.

Click HERE to read the letter to the IOC.


Built upon the principles of Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best™, for more than 25 years the Gay Games have empowered tens of thousands of LGBT artists and athletes through fellowship and friendly competition.

Send a note to Matthew Mitcham

Gay Games Encourages Participants to Support Australian Diver Matthew Mitcham


Dear Friends,

As the Summer Olympics open, we want to ask your help in supporting, Matthew Mitcham, a gay Olympic athlete who has recently come out. Click HERE for a Sydney Morning Herald article about Matthew.

Matthew is an Australian diver, and you can send him a message of support (a "Herogram") at the following website:http://hero.telstra.com/olympics When asked to select an athlete, simply type his name and select his photo. You will have the option of a text message, a video message, or a Facebook message.

We suggest that you let him know that you are writing this as a member of the Gay Games movement.

Thanks for your support of the Gay Games movement, and your support of a young Out Olympian.

Sion O'Connor and Emy Ritt
Co-presidents

Only 6 Out Athletes going to Beijing

Jim Buzinski of Outsports.com has a fantastic article about the Olympics and why so many athletes remain in the closet, to the public and often to themselves.

Click HERE to read it.

Profile of Greg Louganis on Pacific Coffee Network

Gay Games Ambassador Greg Louganis has a new profile on the blog Pacific Coffee Network.

It is really well written and concise. Give it a quick read.

Click HERE for the blog entry.

TV Show Dancing with the Stars - Will they have same sex dancers

MSNBC has a teaser article from Access Hollywood about the American television show "Dancing with the Stars". They are testing the waters to see how middle America would react to 2 men dancing together. They need to checkout YouTube and search for Gay Games and dancing. Better yet, they need to go to the Gay Games in 2010, in Cologne Germany and see it in person.


Click HERE for the MSNBC article.

My first time watching 2 men dance, was in a country bar in San Diego, CA. I was just coming out and I confess to laughing and smiling, ear to ear after seeing big guys in flannel shirts flying around the dance floor. That might be when I started listening to country music. I know I took dance lessons several times, and 2 quarters at a community college.
Gay Games Blogger

Esera Tuaolo on Broadway

Gay Games Ambassador Esera Tuaolo is appearing on broadway. The Broadway musical "Side Show" is the true story of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton, who became stars during the Depression.

Read an article with comments from Esera in the Sioux City Journal.

Click HERE to read it.

Go Dragons! A Rugby Story

A season in the life of the Chicago Dragons, a gay rugby team in a straight Midwestern league. This diverse group of personalities must come together to achieve one common goal: Win a game. Part of Logo's Real Momentum documentary series.

CLICK HERE for more information and a video clip.

LOGO has a partnership with NetFlix to promote LGBT film.
http://www.logoonline.com/partners/netflix/

SF hosts Martial Arts Event August 1, 2008

Martial Arts Gala in San Francisco is scheduled for August 2008. Members of Triangle Martial Arts Association are already preparing for participation in Gay Games VIII that will be held two years from now in 2010 in Cologne, Germany.

Click HERE to read the SF Bay Times article.