New fanzine for Euro2012 diversity

News from FairPlay:

It was a long way but now it is ready: the first Football for Equality FANZINE. Right in time for the kickoff of the UEFA EURO 2012 in Poland and Ukraine, FairPlay proudly presents this brochure.

Under the motto “2012- Go East young (wo)men” the Fanzine addresses Homophobia and Discrimination in Football with a focus on the situation of LGBTIQs (Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Intersex/Queer)
and (anti-)discrimination in the host countries of the EURO and the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Championships (EuroGames) which will be held this year in Budapest, Hungary.

CONTENT ++++ Nicole Selmer discusses relations of „East“ and „West“ and Enikő Várhelyi tells us
about the EuroGames in Budapest ++++ Activists talk with FairPlay on homophobia in Hungary and
Ukraine +++ Pavel Klymenko and Michal Karas take a look at the Polish and Ukrainian stands ++ TanjaWalther-Ahrens links sexism and homophobia in the context of women’s football +++ Dirk Brüllau onqueer fan organizations and Stefan Heissenberger about the need for LGBTIQ-sport clubs ++++++++ The EURO PRIDE HOUSES at the EURO and an exhibition showing (hi)stories of discrimination and emancipation of LGBTIQ-sportspeople ++++

INTERESTED? Send an Email to fairplay@vidc.org with your address, the numbers of copies you need
and we send you the Fanzine(s) for free. Shipping will not be charged.


WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK everybody who contributed to the Fanzine: Ulrike Lunacek for writing a
welcome statement, the authors who enlightened the topic from their different perspectives (as
journalists, fans, LGBTIQ activists, scientists,…). As well as our project partners within the EU-funden
Football for Equality project (Football Supporters Europe – FSE, European Gay and Lesbian Sport
Federation – EGLSF, Institute of Sport Development - SPOLINT, L’udia proti Rasizmu, Unione Italiana
Sport per Tutti – UISP). We also would like to thank the association Qwien (Center for gay/lesbian
culture and history Vienna, www.qwien.at) who allowed us to re-print the poster “Kick out
homophobia” and our graphic designer Patricia Enigl who showed a lot of patience.
We hope to see you at one of the many activities and events within the Football for Equality-project.
Let’s put homophobia offside together – against discrimination in football and all around!

For more information visit:
www.footballforequality.org | www.fairplay.or.at | www.facebook.com/footballforequality

Kind regards,
FairPlay – Different colours. One game.

Sean Avery joins Athlete Ally board

News from Athlete Ally:

Athlete Ally, a non-profit organization dedicated to challenging homophobia in sports, is pleased to announce that Sean Avery has joined the board of directors. Avery, a former NHL player and New York Ranger, will help further the mission of Athlete Ally by encouraging more straight athletes to start speaking out against homophobia in athletics.

“With few athletes feeling comfortable or safe enough to come out, a professional athlete ally like Sean Avery can make all the difference,” said Hudson Taylor, Athlete Ally Founder and Executive Director. “We look forward to working with Sean to make sport a space for everyone and empowering athletes everywhere to start using their voice as athlete allies.”


Keep reading HERE.

GLSEN profile of Dr Tom Waddell on US National Running Day

From GLSEN Sports Project/Changing the Game:

Today is National Running Day.

Did you know Tom Waddell (1937 - 1987) was a decathlete on the 1968 United States Olympic team in Mexico City. He was also a gay man. He founded the international sporting event called the Gay Games, which began in 1982 and is held every four years. Thousands of LGBT and ally athletes from around the world participate in the Gay Games. Waddell originally called this event the Gay Olympics, but was sued by the United States Olympic Committee for using the word "Olympic" in the original name.

Pro soccer player shares her story as an out gay athlete

Via Anna Aagenes/Our Group: 
Joanna Lohman is a Professional Soccer Player for DC United Women and Co-founder of JoLi Academy LLC, a global soccer initiative starting in India. She decided to share her story with Our Group not only to promote LGBT inclusion in sports, but most importantly, to “stand out” and stand up for all human rights.

I am an American. I am a woman and I just happen to be a gay. To end the story there would be an unforgivable slight to my overall personal journey.

My journey as an American woman started from day one, my journey as a gay woman, however, started at the age of 22. While there were small hints prior to this, it was not until I ended my engagement with a wonderful man, that I truly realized who I was.

We all have choices in life and some are much more difficult than others. And while it may seem easier to take the path of least resistance, it’s absolutely not the path that leads to liberated happiness.

Keep reading HERE.

7 June 2012 / David Kopay and Roger Brigham to speak on Bay Area radio program on LGBT sport

Gay Games Ambassadors David Kopay and Chris Morgan
with Roger Brigham and Gene Dermody
at closing ceremony of Gay Games VII, Chicago 2006

Gay Games Ambassador David Kopay and FGG board member Roger Brigham will participation in a discussion on LGBT sports and athletes Thursday, 7 June, on San Francisco radio station KALW 91.7 FM's "Out in the Bay" program.

Also being interviewed by host Eric Jansen will be Helen Carroll, director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights Sports Project, and runner Katharine Holland of San Francisco FrontRunners. The interview will air at 7 p.m. Pacific time and be available through a simultaneous webcast and later on podcast at www.outinthebay.com. 

Out in the Bay is the beneficiary this year of money raised by the 33rd annual SF FrontRunners Pride Run, 23 June in Golden Gate Park. 

Former National Football League player Kopay came out in 1975, making him the first athlete in any major American professional team sport to come out. Kopay remains an outspoken advocate in the fight against homophobia in sports.

Brigham, while coaching wrestling in Alaska and serving as sports editor of the Anchorage Daily News, was inspired by Kopay's example when he came out early in 1982, making him the first openly gay sports editor at a major metropolitan daily newspaper. Brigham is now the sports columnist for the Bay Area Reporter, the chairman of Wrestlers Without Borders, and a wrestling coach at San Francisco's Mission High School. He is the founder of Equality Coaching Alliance.

En français / La nouvelle ministre des sports reçoit Laura Flessel pour discuter de la lutte contre les discriminations dans le sport

The new French minister for sport Valérie Fourneyron met today with Laura Flessel, the French flag bearer for the 2012 Olympics and chair of the national committee on discrimination in sport, on which sits FGG member organization FSGL. During their meeting, Mme Fourneyron expressed her desire to expand the government's efforts against discrimination.

Merci à Yagg.com d'avoir signalé ce communiqué de presse du Ministère des Sports :

La minis­tre des Sports, de la Jeunesse, de l’Education popu­laire et de la Vie asso­cia­tive Valérie FOURNEYRON a ren­contré, ce matin, la dou­ble cham­pionne olym­pi­que et sex­tu­ple cham­pionne du monde d’escrime Laura FLESSEL-COLOVIC, également porte-dra­peau de la délé­ga­tion fran­çaise aux Jeux Olympiques de Londres 2012 et pré­si­dente du Comité per­ma­nent de lutte contre les dis­cri­mi­na­tions.

Au cours de cet entre­tien, la minis­tre a lon­gue­ment échangé avec Laura FLESSEL sur le rôle du Comité et les ini­tia­ti­ves mises en oeu­vre par cet orga­nisme depuis sa créa­tion en mai 2011.

Chargé d’enrayer les phé­no­mè­nes contrai­res aux valeurs spor­ti­ves comme le racisme, l’homo­pho­bie et le sexisme, le Comité a déve­loppé un cer­tain nom­bre d’actions de sen­si­bi­li­sa­tion auprès de l’ensem­ble des acteurs du monde spor­tif, qu’ils soient ins­ti­tu­tion­nels, spor­tifs, asso­cia­tifs, uni­ver­si­tai­res ou média­ti­ques. Il a notam­ment dif­fusé une « Charte du Respect de l’Autre dans le Sport » et un kit de for­ma­tion à des­ti­na­tion des agents des ser­vi­ces déconcen­trés visant à rap­pe­ler de manière posi­tive les prin­ci­pes éthiques fon­da­men­taux du sport.

Un obser­va­toire chargé de recen­ser les dif­fé­rents dis­po­si­tifs déployés à l’échelle du ter­ri­toire par une mul­ti­pli­cité d’acteurs (fédé­ra­tions spor­ti­ves, clubs, col­lec­ti­vi­tés, spon­sors…), pour lut­ter contre les déri­ves dis­cri­mi­na­toi­res dans le sport, est également en cours de réflexion.

Valérie FOURNEYRON s’est féli­ci­tée de l’excel­lent tra­vail de fond effec­tué par le Comité per­ma­nent de lutte contre les dis­cri­mi­na­tions et a exprimé son sou­hait de lui appor­ter un sou­tien accru pour étendre son champ d’action. Elle a déclaré : « Avec la loi du pre­mier février 2012 visant à ren­for­cer l’éthique du sport et les droits des spor­tifs, cha­que licen­cié va devoir signer une charte éthique qui l’engage à res­pec­ter les valeurs essen­tiel­les du sport, des valeurs de res­pect, de tolé­rance, d’accep­ta­tion des dif­fé­ren­ces et de citoyen­neté. Aujourd’hui, cette obli­ga­tion doit s’accom­pa­gner d’un véri­ta­ble tra­vail d’éducation et de sen­si­bi­li­sa­tion des pra­ti­quants de tout âge. Pour cela, j’entends oeu­vrer dans le dia­lo­gue et la concer­ta­tion avec l’ensem­ble des acteurs concer­nés pour don­ner un cadre juri­di­que aux conclu­sions des tra­vaux menés par le Comité per­ma­nent de lutte contre les dis­cri­mi­na­tions. C’est un chan­tier impor­tant que tout le mou­ve­ment spor­tif doit por­ter pour met­tre un terme aux dis­cri­mi­na­tions qui enta­chent le sport. »

La minis­tre a pu également échanger avec Laura FLESSEL sur sa pré­pa­ra­tion per­son­nelle pour ses cin­quiè­mes Jeux Olympiques, sur son rôle de porte-dra­peau de la délé­ga­tion fran­çaise à Londres et sur ses enga­ge­ments huma­ni­tai­res.


Photos H. Hamon M. S.

New Frontrunners group in Tokyo

We meet every Saturday, 09:00 at the Imperial Palace, Takebashi Station exit 2, by the statue of Wake no Kiyomaro. Everyone is welcome regardless of running or walking ability. For more information contact matsumoto2093@gmail.com.

Visit them on Facebook.

Be part of EuroPrideHouse, wherever you are!

LGBT Action at Euro 2012

The European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation (EGLSF) has teamed up with the Pride Solidarity Campaign (supported by FARE) to identify opportunities for LGBT inclusion & human rights during Euro 2012. Clare Dimyon of Pride Solidarity been in Ukraine since Kyiv Pride, visiting Ukrainian LGBT communities, including those in the four host cities of Kyiv, Karkhiv, Lviv and Donetsk. Clare has been promoting Football v Homophobia, the global campaign against prejudice and discrimination towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in football www.footballvhomophobia.com in preparation for Euro 2012. Meanwhile, EGLSF has been preparing for the opening of Euro Pride House in Warsaw on Friday 8 June (part of the Football for Equality initiative). Euro Pride House is a space for all fans, players and football supporters during the Championships. Its focus is on the LGBT community but is open to anyone who wants to challenge homophobia in football.

During the tournament, the partners will be delivering two specific campaigns, ‘Wear a Rainbow at Euro 2012’ and ‘YOUR Euro Pride House’.

Wear A Rainbow at Euro 2012

Last month people witnessed with horror the brutal beating of Svyatoslav Sheremet, head of the Gay-Forum of Ukraine, at the first ever gay parade in Kiev. This sparked major concerns over the safety of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered people in Ukraine as well as those attending Euro 2012 in Ukraine in June. ‘Wear a Rainbow at euro 2012’ is a campaign to show solidarity with LGBT in Ukraine during the Euros. Anyone interested in challenging the violence perpetrated against LGBT in Europe can wear a silicone rainbow wristband to show support. Wristbands will be available at Euro Pride House in Warsaw and from various venues in Ukraine and those not in Ukraine and Poland can join in with this simple act of solidarity.

YOUR Euro Pride House

This campaign aims to enable LGBT people in Ukraine to hold their own Euro Pride Houses in environments in which they feel safe. Clare from the Pride Solidarity Campaign is facilitating a range of ‘Euro Pride Houses’ in various locations across Ukraine and supplying activists with Football v Homophobia leaflets, t shirts and, of course wristbands for the ‘Wear a Rainbow at Euro 2012 campaign.

The YOUR Euro Pride House campaign also enables other European LGBT people to engage in Euro Pride House. Obviously many LGBT players, fans & activists will be watching Euro 2012 matches in their own countries, and will not be making the trip to Poland or Ukraine. YOUR Euro Pride House is a campaign to engage these fans in LGBT human rights issues in Central and Eastern Europe through football and enable us to use Euro 2012 as a vehicle to mobilise support. The campaign will enable fans, wherever they are in Europe, to be a part of Euro Pride house, by printing out the Euro Pride House logo from the Facebook page and posting a photo of themselves and their friends/team mates celebrating Euro 2012 wherever they are in Europe.

19 June 2012 / Team DC Night OUT at the Nationals tickets selling fast

A message from FGG member organization Team DC:

Night OUT at the Nationals - Tuesday, June 19 vs. Tampa Bay....now over 2,400 tickets already sold!

Do you have your tickets to the 8th Annual Night OUT at the Nationals? Tickets are available for $18 (normally $22 at the box office). The $18 seats will likely sell out (just like the $16 section did...we told you!), but here is how you can get yours:

• Go to Nellie's Sports Bar where tickets are on sale at the downstairs main bar.
• Go to www.nationals.com/nightout and get your tickets NOW. Online sales start at $18.

Better yet, join us TONIGHT, Monday, June 4 between 6-8 PM Nellie's Sports Bar for a special Ticket Night featuring CLINT, the Nationals own in-park Host and heartthrob to all Nats fans!

We are also pleased to announce that Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) will join us at the Night OUT on June 19 to throw out the First Pitch. Congressman Polis is a true fighter for our community and as one of only 4 openly gay Members of Congress, he is a great example of what can be accomplished when you are OUT....just like we all will be that night!

Be a part of the LARGEST LGBT Community Night in professional sports in the United States and see your first place Nats take on the first place Tampa Bay Rays.

Jim Provenzano wins Lambda Literary Award

NEWS: On 4 June 2012 Every Time I Think of You won the 2012 Lambda Literary award in the Gay Romance category. When we wrote earlier about the latest book by our friend Jim Provenzano, winner of the FGG Legacy Award in 2007 for his sports writing, we forgot that Dan Woog has written a fine review of the book in The Rainbow Times. Here's an extract: It may not be the traditional format for a winning novel: cross-country running. Lacrosse. Wheelchair basketball. Gay romance. But Jim Provenzano’s Every Time I Think of You works. The author – whose previous books focus on wrestling, AIDS and the lust-filled world of bicycle messengers – has crafted a novel about young adults that may not make the list of most librarians’ recommended “young adult novels.” There’s a bit too much sex – gay sex – in this one for some educators’ tastes. And it’s graphic.

Yet ­Every Time does what good literature should. It opens readers’ eyes, minds and hearts to corners of the world they may never have realized existed. Confession: Although I am a high school soccer coach, I’d never thought about the impact a devastating sports accident could have on an athlete. Especially one who was in a torrid, but meaningful, gay relationship.

The story is set in Pennsylvania, in 1978. Reid Conniff is a high school student serious about running, academics and masturbating in the woods. One wintry afternoon, near his favorite tree, he comes across (in every sense of the term) Everett Forester, a privileged, lacrosse-playing boarding school boy.

As is true in most adolescents’ lives (and every novel), stuff happens. There is sexual exploration (Everett has had a lot more experience than Reid), the resultant embarrassment of getting caught, and the arc of both lovers trying to be at the same place at the same time (emotionally as well as physically).

There is not, however, a lot of angst about being gay. Provenzano set this story – and _PINS_, his wrestling book – in what he calls “a bubble of time.” Stonewall had already jump-started the gay rights movement, but AIDS had not yet reared its ugly head. The author calls those years “a halcyon moment, when for a teenager it was not horrible to be gay.”

Keep reading HERE.

17 June 2012 / Premiere of documentary on woman Olympic weightlifter

Strong! is a documentary from the PBS series Independent Lens.

The film will premiere at The Roxie Theater as part of the Frameline Film Festival.

3117 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Sunday, June 17, 11:30 AM
Followed by Q&A with filmmaker Julie Wyman & U.S. Olympic Weightlifter Cheryl Haworth!
Tickets on Sale Now!

One of America’s top Olympic women weightlifters, Cheryl Haworth doesn’t fit the conventions of a typical athlete. At 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing over 300 pounds, the talented, engaging and intelligent Cheryl is a force of nature unto herself. STRONG! chronicles her battle of maintaining her championship status, while at the same time facing an uncertain future.

Castro muscle bears have nothing on three-time Olympian Cheryl Haworth! “It takes mass to move mass.” That’s what Cheryl, an Olympic Weightlifter who holds the records as the strongest woman in the western hemisphere, has to say about her size. Cheryl is a big woman—a big, strong, healthy woman—and her effervescent gravitational pull far exceeds her size.

Cheryl’s vitality and wit shine through in the first half of the film. In the second act, injury and self-doubt coincide with concerns about her body. What she once saw as a tool for succeeding in the sport she loves, she now sees as a hindrance to a life of love and attraction. Like so many struggles for self-acceptance, Cheryl’s issues are unresolved at the end of the film. That, in itself, is a stark reminder of the power of documentary to capture only a brief snapshot of a larger life.

Director Julie Wyman (A Boy Named Sue, Frameline24) and producer Vivian Kleiman (Tongues Untied) ask us to push our boundaries of what we define as “queer film.” In a community where body image and definitions of femininity are so tied up in identity, Cheryl’s experiences challenge the audience to reconcile societal notions of health and beauty with the healthy, beautiful woman on screen.

Auf Deutsch / Video report from 2009 Duessel Cup basketball tournament

Yannick from Entre2Basket, Paris is the featured interview from gay news site DBNA back in 2009.

17 June 2012 / Women cyclists in Sydney invited to ride with an Olympic champion

Gay Games Ambassador Michelle Ferris is inviting all women cyclists in the Sydney area to join her for a 30-40km ride on 17 June 2012.

The ride will start at 7am from the café in Centennial Park (note: not the caravan!).

We thank Michelle for setting this up, and urge any interested women to take advantage of this special opportunity.

And remember that while Michelle's an Olympic medallist, she competed in sprints... maybe you can outdo her over the distance...

:)

Hudson Taylor video interview on bullying

Watch Athlete Ally's Hudson Taylor discuss bullying with Steph Watts.

Sports films featured at Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco

The Frameline Film Festival takes place in San Francisco from 14-24 June 2012. Below you'll find a selection of sport-related films to be screened at the festival.
View the printed program HERE.
Find all films and schedules HERE.

---

Ballroom Rules 98 min. From foxtrot to tango, follow five Aussie couples as they prepare to compete against the world’s best queer ballroom dancers in this exhilarating and very personal doc.... Read more



Beautiful Games 90 min. From Brighton to San Francisco to Sydney, this trio of short sporty docs takes a sweaty look inside the traditionally macho and homophobic worlds of soccer and rugby to see what happens when gay athletes create their own teams and leagues. ... Read more



Beyond the Team USA , 2012 , 15 min. Take a peek inside the lives of the members of the San Francisco Spikes Soccer Club and see how they developed a deep sense of gay community, friendship and extended family on and off of the field.... Read more



Boy Cheerleaders UK , 2011 , 60 min. Armed with pairs of pompoms and an abundance of adolescent energy, the DAZL Diamonds cheerleading squad of South Leeds is preparing to become the first all-boy team to compete in the UK Cheerleading Championships.... Read more




The Last Waltz Australia , 2011 , 21 min. A young man loses his one and only love to a bush-fire disaster. Twelve months later, he returns to ballroom dancing, and he sees his dead partner on the edge of the dance floor for one final waltz.... Read more



The Naked-Boy Business, Part 2 USA , 2011 , 5 min. A dream-like confession set to music—two wrestlers, kicked off their team for posing nude, bare their souls and brave the consequences.... Read more



STRONG! 81 min. Castro muscle bears have nothing on Olympic power lifter Cheryl Haworth. This big, strong, healthy woman—who won a bronze medal in weight lifting at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney—challenges our traditional notions of health, beauty and femininity.... Read more



The Sydney Convicts Germany , 2010 , 45 min. The Sydney Convicts Rugby Union is as tough as other Australian team; the only difference is it’s an all-gay male squad. In just 45-minutes, you get an incredibly intimate insight into the players’ lives—and a brilliant look around many parts of Sydney. Rugby is not a game for the faint-hearted. In very flattering shorts, players carb-up before practice, seriously work out... Read more



Two Guys in a Backyard Australia , 2011 , 5 min. From Australia, we start with Two Guys in a Backyard where a man puts his friendship on the line during a backyard sparring session.... Read more



Why We Ride: The Story of AIDS/LifeCycle USA , 2012 , 13 min. Each year, more than 2,500 participate in a bicycle ride from SF to LA in order to raise money for the fight against HIV/AIDS. This film tells the story of this emotional journey.... Read more

Novel featuring Gay Games I now available in print and audiobook

From Jeffrey Hickey, author of Morehead:

One day a few years ago, while our twin 21-year-old sons were both at home and testosterone was running rampant in the house, I was inspired to write a story about my first day in college at SF State. By the time I finished that piece, about eight hours later, I knew I was writing a new novel. Unlike other books I’ve written, this came out in a rush. The entire process, start to finish, with three drafts and two professional edits, took seven months.

---

Paperback (US)	Kindle ebook (US)	Audiobook (US)

---

Morehead is the first person account of Dave Morehead, attending college and living (mostly) in San Francisco from 1978-1986. It is the story of a straight young man living in an increasingly gay city, at the height of the sexual revolution.

The novel was written for two reasons: To write a story that hopefully helps straight people get a grip on their homophobia. And—to finally honor the memories of all the gay friends I had from that era that died. I realized I’d never properly grieved for them. They just sort of disappeared at a certain point, and frankly, so did I. As for helping other straights, I know to persuade an audience that is hostile to your point of view; you must do so using their own language. I wanted Dave’s growth to be slow and believable, so you could see it through both his actions, and the way he wrote. Critically, for the persuasion to be most effective, Dave had to remain adamantly straight.

The chapter that deals with the First Gay Games is the longest in the book and is the pivotal chapter, for me, in telling the story. I needed an event that was culturally and sociologically significant, while also being mostly regional. The Gay Games were almost serendipitous for this text. It’s the only chapter where Dave hardly makes an appearance, though he wrote the text. I spent a couple of weeks in the history section of the main SF library and had the entire staff pulling out hundreds of pages of documents, letters, legal briefs, and more. I tried to represent a variety of viewpoints, from San Francisco Arts and Athletics, the US Olympic committee, an alleged religious leader, sociological, personal, entertainment, and more. These weeks of research were also pragmatic for me, because they gave me a chance to rest my wrists and arms from furious typing. Once I sorted through the information, I was able to create the “Group Discussion” project. And once I realized I could do a faux Howard Cosell voice, I had the instrument I needed to write the piece.

When the text was finished, I contacted my friend, Lauren Pizzi, to help me with the audio book and live shows. She insisted I get a younger man to play Dave, even though she knew how much I wanted to read it myself. She was right. I needed a young actor, closer in age to Dave, and talented enough to tap into the semi heroic dumb shit male I created. So she recommended Joseph Rende, and he was a perfect fit. Lauren played almost all the women, and I play everyone else. We recorded the audio book, and then rehearsed for three live shows to be filmed in HD. One was at the Dance Palace in Point Reyes. The other two (and the sight for the video you saw) were at the Climate Theater in SF. My wife Karen (who works at Pixar) got one of her co-workers to help with the filming, and then Karen edited them. We’ve got another 90 minutes to release when the book comes out, and then another hour to release incrementally through the remainder of this year. I’ve given greater than 900 Readers Theater performances for children, families and now adults over the years. I love to read aloud.

UCLA figure skaters and ice hockey players say "You Can Play"

UCLA ice hockey players and figure skaters join together in support of the You Can Play project, in the fight for respect in sports. Watch their You Can Play video below.

New wrestling club in Denver

Nice news from a new Wrestlers Without Borders member in Denver:

The Denver Wrestling Club was founded May 17, 2012 by Coach Greg Lines who was San Diego Wrestling Club's head coach from 2004 to 2012.

Denver Wrestling Club is Colorado's only year-round freestyle/folkstyle/greco-roman wrestling club catering to adults who have an interest in learning and practicing the sport of amateur wrestling.

Everyone is welcome to join and wrestle with us - irrespective of skill level, age, race, gender, sexual oriendtation, or physical disability. Beginners especially welcome!!

We are a sanctioned member of USA Wrestling.

Over the summer we will be recruiting members and securing a practice location. The new club will have mats once a facility is secured...thank you Josh Watkins! Our goal is to start holding practices in the fall/winter 2012, and hold a WWB tournament in 2013.

Greg Louganis to guest star on Old Dogs web series

We have already written about the web series Old Dogs and New Tricks, which stars Gay Games medal winner Jeffrey Olson. We now learn that the coming third season will feature Gay Games Ambassador Greg Louganis in three episodes.

Will Greg's work as a dog trainer be part of the story? Find out inl early 2013.

---

Amazon.com:

Amazon.ca:

Amazon.co.uk:

Amazon.de:

Amazon.fr:

En français / Le Paname Boxing Club pour pratiquer la boxe française

News of a new LGBT club in Paris, for those interested in savate:

Le Paname Boxing Club est une association parisienne de boxe française ouverte aux gays, lesbiennes, bi, trans qui souhaitent pratiquer ce sport sans craindre que leur orientation sexuelle leur porte préjudice.

Les portes du club sont ouvertes à tous ceux qui partagent ses valeurs de tolérance et de convivialité.

Après plusieurs mois d’élaboration du projet, la première saison du Paname Boxing Club débutera en septembre prochain. Soyez les premiers à nous rejoindre pour participer à l’aventure!

La boxe française est accessible à toutes et à tous: il est possible de s’entraîner quel que soit son sexe, son âge, son niveau ou sa puissance.

For the first time, men to be involved in Olympic victory ceremonies... but only in certain roles

I read a few stories about the announcement by LOCOG, the host committee for the London Olympics, that for the first time men would be involved in medal ceremonies.

Here's the start of the LOCOG press release:

London 2012 Victory Ceremonies podiums, ceremonial costumes, make-up and flowers revealed

The official London 2012 Victory Ceremonies podiums, ceremonial costumes, make-up and flowers have been revealed today. These components will be used across 805 Victory Ceremonies taking place in over 30 London 2012 venues.
Taking place soon after a medal event finishes, the design of the Victory Ceremonies has been created to be an exciting celebration of the achievements of every medal-winning athlete.
The unique design of the royal purple podiums and costumes has been created by students at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London. The students have worked with London 2012 over the last eight months to create and develop the designs.
When designing the podiums, the team of students - Gaetano Ling, Hong-Yeul Eom, Luc Fusaro, Heegun Koo and Yan Lu - used dynamic lines representing the energy that the Games and athletes represent. 40 podiums will be used across all the Victory Ceremonies and approximately 4,400 medal-winning athletes will stand on them to celebrate their success formally.
The ceremonial costumes will be worn by Games Maker volunteers in athlete and presenter escort roles and flower and medal bearer roles.

Other news reports said that for the first time men would be involved in victory ceremonies, which was great to hear. But some of these reports (and not just those from the Daily Mail) said that the roles would be segregated. This surprised me, and since the press releases from LOCOG weren't clear (for example this press release about make-up design, which says: "The make-up which will be worn by all the athlete and presenter escorts and medal and flower bearers", which implies that either women are in all roles, or men will be wearing make-up), so I asked the press service of LOCOG for clarification. 

They (promptly) responded: "The team is mixed and will be seen in the presentation very much as a team. The members of the team have 3 specific roles: the roles of leading the party (as presenter escort and athlete escort) are females, and the role of carrying the tray which holds the medal and flowers (flower and medal bearer) is male - a traditionally more decorative role. The medal and flower bearer leaves the party after the presentation has been made, whilst the female presenter escort and female athlete escort remain with the party for their exit from the presentation in front of the fans in the stadiums."

Why make an effort for equality, inclusion and parity by admitting that these ceremonial duties are not reserved for "decorative" females (good news), only to segregate the various roles according to gender?

In a context where the gender of Olympic volunteers has been an issue (for example the refusal of Iran to accept that the volunteer sign bearer at past opening ceremonies be a woman), LOCOG should show true equality and parity. This is definitely a good news/bad news kind of story.

-- Marc Naimark

Auf Deutsch / 29 June 2012 / Fussballfans gegen Homophobie

Anlässlich des einjährigen Bestehens der Kampagne "Fußballfans gegen Homophobie" wollen wir euch zu einem ersten Netzwerktreffen in Berlin einladen. Für den 29.06.2012 haben wir eine Podiumsdiskussion zum Thema - Wirklich kein Tabu mehr? Homophobie im Fußball und Gegenstrategien - (info HERE) geplant und für den 30.06.2012 gibt es ein Kleinfeldturnier der Fans von Tennis Borussia Berlin mit Freund_innen und Unterstützer_innen der FfgH-Kampagne. Am Abend nach dem Turnier wollen wir dann mit euch gemeinsam auf der Soliparty feiern.
Mit dabei sind:
- Björn Peng

Facebook event HERE.

Matthew Mitcham in action

From Gay Games Ambassador Matthew Mitcham: "International co-operation in motion. Canada, Brazil, Australia and Mexico in Fort Lauderdale, Florida." The US Diving Grand Prix took place there earlier this month.

Registration open for Public Markets Conference in Cleveland

From the Project for Public Spaces, news of their conference this September in Cleveland. We particularly recommend the video below:

Celebrating 25 years since our first gathering, the 8th International Public Markets Conference will set a new direction for the vital role markets play in transforming local economies and communities.

The conference will highlight the burgeoning local food scene in Cleveland and throughout Northeastern Ohio – a region that offers an abundance of markets to suit all interests. The conference will also spotlight one of Cleveland’s greatest treasures – the West Side Market, which is celebrating its centennial in 2012, and is arguably the most architecturally significant market building in the US. The West Side Market is the anchor for the vibrant market district of Ohio City, known as “Cleveland’s artisan neighborhood.” The market has a rich and storied history that has been key to its resilience, and a major driver in Cleveland’s resurgence. Cleveland is the perfect place to celebrate the economic and social power of public markets!

Anton Hysén win's Let's Dance; see interview in Sweden's QX magazine

Congratulations to Anton who last night won Sweden's Let's Dance! 

Sweden's QX magazine has published a fun feature on out footballer Anton Hysén. From the English summary:

Anton Hysén: It's only an ass, What's the big deal" 

In QX's May issue, 2012, the Swedish soccer player Anton Hysén poses naked. His behind has created a lot of interest in Sweden lately, so he decided to show it all! After all, what's the big deal!

QX releases it's 200th issue in May. Photographer Magnus Ragnvid and editor Anders Öhrman met the world famous soccer player Anton Hysén to talk about the year of wild activity that has passed since he came out as a gay professional soccer player.

Anton has also had huge success as one of the celebrity dancers in the Swedish version of Let's Dance.

And a lot of interest has been focused on his behind.

So why not let the world see it?

In the interview, Anton Hysén dismisses the rumor that he has given up soccer for a life in TV game shows and the international limelight. In fact his team, Utsikten BK, has moved up one division and he trains two hours every day. On top of that he now trains three hours a day in dance for the Let's Dance show.

His goal is set higher than the Swedish league, Allsvenskan. For him playing for a US soccer team is the main goal.

Keep reading HERE.

Sports Illustrated takes an in-depth look at transgender atheltes

Sports Illustrated examines the situation of trans athletes, with a focus on Kye Allums and Keelin Godsey

Playing fields have long been segregated on the basis of sex. But what happens to the athletes whose physiology doesn't match their gender identity? Against whom do they compete? What obstacles do they face? And how are they being treated by sports' governing bodies?

Read it HERE.

In italiano / Photos from Boga tournament against homophobia online

Find photos of last weekend's tournament against homophobia held in Bologna by Boga Calcio and ICONS HERE.

Auf Deutsch / 2 June 2012 / Respect Gaymes in Berlin

Am Samstag, dem 2. Juni 2012, von 10 bis 21 Uhr finden zum siebenten Mal die vom Lesben- und Schwulenverband Berlin-Brandenburg (LSVD) organisierten Respect Gaymes im Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn Sportpark in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg statt. Bei freiem Eintritt wird bei dem Sport- und Kulturevent unter dem Motto „Zeig Respekt für Schwule und Lesben!“ für ein vorurteils- und diskriminierungsfreies Miteinander geworben. Bei der Veranstaltung werden wieder 60 Fußballteams gegeneinander antreten. Außerdem wird es ein Beachvolleyballturnier geben und alle Gäste dürfen sich bei der neuen Trendsportart Jugger ausprobieren.

Die Bühne übernimmt am 2. Juni ab 11 Uhr für einige Stunden der HipHop geht anders! e.V.. Dabei werden die Ergebnisse eines Jahres Arbeit mit Jugendlichen aus Berliner Schulen vorgestellt. Die Schülerinnen und Schüler zeigen ihr Können in HipHop, Rap, Beatboxen und vielem mehr. Außerdem gibt es ab 16 Uhr zum dritten Mal bei den Respect Gaymes ein Breakdance Battle organisiert von der Breakdance Connection. Das VIP-Fußballspiel mit Prominenz aus der Politik und Community findet ebenfalls wieder statt, zudem verschiedene Workshops. Im Infoareal laden mehr als zwei Dutzend Vereine zu diversen Mitmachaktionen ein. Und am Abend sorgen die Berliner Nachwuchsbands Goose On Fire, KissMe I’m The Cook und John Doe der Berlin Music Association für gute Unterhaltung.
Eintritt frei!

Bingham Cup this weekend in Manchester

Best of luck to Village Spartans as they host this weekend's IGRAB Bingham Cup. From Pink News:

Manchester will play host to the Bingham Cup this weekend, where gay and inclusive rugby teams from around the world will compete for the 2012 title.

The New York Gotham Knights will defend their title as world champions at the three-day tournament beginning tomorrow at the city’s Broughton Park ground.

More than 30 clubs from 15 countries around the world, including Manchester’s Village Spartans RUFC, will arrive in Manchester for the largest event in the biennial Cup’s history.

Former England rugby World Cup champion, Ben Cohen MBE said: “I’m passionate that anyone, regardless of their background, should be able to play rugby. Events such as this tournament show how rugby has become more inclusive and it also helps break down barriers and bring more people into the sport.”

Gareth Thomas, the UK’s first professional rugby player to come out as gay, will host the tournament’s Gala Dinner at The Palace Hotel on Sunday, 3 June.

Andrew Stokes, chief executive of Marketing Manchester said the city’s large gay community and “sporting” identity made it “an ideal host city for the Bingham Cup”.

Keep reading HERE.

Pride Games add sailing, basketball, cycling, and multi-terrain 5K run

Pride Sports Manchester keep adding events to the 2012 Pride Games

Ride With Pride: 14 July 2012

Last year’s inaugural Pride Ride in the stunning Peak District saw some amazing riding: everyone had a brilliant time! So don’t miss out on the 2012 ride along the beautiful lanes of the Cheshire Plains, with the odd hill still. Not as much like Switzerland as last year, maybe, but you’ll nevertheless get the chance to tackle Alderley Edge’s Swiss Hill on this classic ride.
Register now for the 60 mile or the 60 km route, both are fantastic. On the day we’ll give you a detailed route map, we’ll check your bike out and carry out any minor repair or fine-tuning needed ready for the 10am start. Once again we’ll have back-up on the ride in the form of Al and Patrick from BikeRight!
And if you’ve any queries before the ride just contact Al or Patrick on 061 230 7007 or email mountainbiking@bikeright.co.uk.

Register HERE.

Basketball taster: 17 July 2012

The Slam Dunkin' Divas, Manchester's one and only women's LGBT Basketball Club, are inviting their
male friends for a mixed taster session! Last year's taster was a big success, and we are hoping the
basketball fanatic guys out there will join us for a fun night of basketball. So whether you're an absolute
beginner, a Michael Jordan, or you're returning to the sport after many years, this is the session for you.
Our qualified coaches will be leading the two hour session, feel free to email at slamdunkindivas@googlemail.com us with any questions you may have.

Register HERE.

Multi-terrain 5K Run: 21 July 2012

As part of Manchester Pride Games, Manchester Frontrunners are organising a 5km multi terrain run in Chorlton Water Park. This one lap course starts at the scenic Chorlton water park, and will take you along the Mersey River and down country lanes, with a few hills and stiles thrown in along the way to keep it interesting.

Manchester Frontrunners is proud to be a friendly club, and this race is open to all. No matter what your running ability our team will be there to cheer you along all the way round. There shall be prizes for the top three men and women finishers.

Register HERE.

Sailing: 21 July 2012

Are you a sailor? Fancy trying it? LGBT and want to meet people?
As part of the Pride Games, we are offering: a sailing taster session and an improvers session. Both sessions will be run simultaneously so choose which one you'd like to attend and register above.

So whether you're a complete Beginner, Improver, Ellen MacArthur or fancy coming as a social member...come and join us! We are the The Sailing and Cruising Association...! (Gay Sailing)
Come for the day - meet us to find out more, have a sail (if you fancy) and a pint..!

Register HERE. Find out more on our Facebook page - HERE