FAQ / The Gay Games were good to have back when they were founded in 1982, but are they still necessary today when homosexuals have complete equality?

From our series of answers to Frequently Asked Questions: 

The Gay Games were good to have back when they were founded in 1982, but are they still necessary today when homosexuals have complete equality?

The Gay Games are an international event, which welcome and encourage participation of athletes from countries where discrimination against homosexuals is part of the law, in some places even punishable by death.

But even in places where discrimination against homosexuals is outlawed, in daily life, and perhaps more so in sport, homophobia remains very present. Even in the most progressive countries, homophobia and even violence against gay men and lesbians remain a reality.

One of the missions of the Gay Games is to combat homophobia by providing visibility for the countless gay and lesbian athletes.