New Eurogames website up just in time for Budapest opening

Find the new website for this weekend's Eurogames HERE.

My Gay Games story: Jamie Roberson, Reston, Virginia

We're keen to hear your stories of your experience of the Gay Games. Here is the story of Reston, Virginia's Jamie Roberson, who wrote us in 2006 about her discovery of triathlon and her plans to compete at Gay Games VII in Chicago. What's your story? Write us!

 In July 2003, I was sitting by a neighborhood pool, pleasantly fluffy-headed from the effects of a smuggled-in adult beverage. After watching lap swimmers go back and forth, I decided, "Hey, I can do that." Two lengths of choppy "freestyle" later, I was breathless and embarrassed. I had just turned 41 and at about 70 pounds overweight, was way too young to feel so old. I remembered being stationed in Hawaii when I was a Navy officer in the 80's; my coworkers were doing what was then called the Tinman Triathlon. I remembered with some shame that I had missed that opportunity and wasted some prime years of fitness. That's when I decided to become a triathlete.

After the beverage buzz wore off, I did some research and was enthralled. I hate to run, and hadn't ridden a bike in decades, but I love to swim. All together, the sum of the three looked way better than the individual parts. I bought some books, starting with "Triathlon for Ordinary Mortals," and found a reasonable walk-to-run program on www.beginnertriathlete.com. Like any good desk-bound non-jock, I made up an Excel chart on my lunch hour and posted it on the side of the fridge. I marked off each day's walk with a diagonal blue line. My dog loved the increased activity, too. My partner, on the other hand, thought that I was insane.

Backing up for a second, I say "desk-bound non-jock" because that's what I am. I've never been an athlete.

Ever. I was an honor student growing up, a band "fag," a nerd. Not that I don't love sports. There aren't many Southerners male or female who don't have a passion for the regional religion of college football. I am and always have been a devoted (non-Southern friends say maniacal) follower of the University of Florida Gators. I just never played sports. I was uncoordinated and uninterested in being sweaty. I couldn't even play softball. Some dyke, huh?

But this triathlon thing had me between the ears. I read and read and read. I walked, then I jogged. I swam in the pool at the county rec center and rode Life Cycles when the weather turned cold. I was even nice to another gym-goer who was as much of a Miami Hurricane as I am a Gator. I bought a bike on eBay. I entered some events.

Ten months later, minus a few pounds of fat that were replaced by muscle, I stood by the pool, ready for my first triathlon. I had competed in the Bethesda, Maryland YMCA tri a few weeks earlier as part of a relay team, but this time it was all on me. Five laps in the pool, 3.5 miles on the bike, and a 1.2 mile run is probably not enough to get any respectable triathlete out of bed on a rainy Sunday morning. For me, though, this was a Big Deal.

One, two, three, four, GO! A nudge on the shoulder from the race director, and into the pool I went. Uh-oh.

Goggles immediately filled with pool water. &$#%!!! I got to the far wall and adjusted, but it was too late. I was over-excited, breathing too hard, and couldn't find the groove I had practiced in so many Total Immersion drills. It was back to freestyle-breaststroke-freestyle and hoping for the best.

I didn't mind the crowded pool lanes, but I really could have done without Mr. Furbag, who kept pulling my shoulder away to pass, especially at congested lane turns in the "snake" formation. Hey, pal, you've touched the side. If you wanna pass me (and the 3-4 others at the edge), go around. Or under. I'll deck you next time.

I figured my swim was toast, so I took the ladder out of the pool and strode out to the transition area. "Wanna go for a bike ride?" I asked the volunteers. Bet they hadn't heard that one all day! Dork.

It had poured rain while we were swimming, but I had put my running shoes and socks under a bucket. Much more pleasant to put on soft cotton. Aaahhh. I slurped some Gatorade (once a Gator...), buckled in, and headed out.

Although it had stopped raining, the road was slick with fresh rain, all of which Godzilla kicked up on my nice fluffy socks. I know that "Godzilla" isn't much of a name for a sleek machine like my QR Kilo, but I was amazed by how much of a beast this machine was (in a good way) after I rode it for the first time. The name just popped into my mind. I put a bendable plastic alligator on the handlebars to ride with me. Geek.

My worries about not being able to properly inflate the tires that morning were allayed somewhat when I realized that a little more rolling resistance might give me better traction on the turns. This was especially important since I primarily train on a rail-to-trail bed. Not too many turns there. But the ride wasn't too hard, and I managed to ride my goal speed of about 15 mph, despite being winded from the swim.

I cruised back into transition and gulped some more Gatorade. Because it was such a short event, I put dual-sided pedals on Godzilla to avoid changing shoes. Uh oh. As soon as I set out ... slosh-slosh-slosh. Runners were already lounging about, eating post-race bananas, and here I was, heading out with water balloons on my feet. Great. But hey, it's only a mile, I can handle it, right?

Then came the Big Uh Oh. Knife-like pain seared up my outer legs from my ankles, while my calves seized up in charley horses. Oh-kay. I can run on knives and charley horses, or I can walk on knives. Walking will take longer. Run, walk, run, limp, walk, run, try not to cry. Quitting is not an option. The charles horses went back to their stall about 100 yards into the course, but the knives just kept going. I just realized that the sooner I got this over, the sooner it would be done. Run, walk, try not to cry. Rinse, repeat.

Finally I finished. My first triathlon was in the books. As soon as I took the shoes off and walked a bit, the knives were gone. The shoes. I should known. I didn't mention buying new shoes over the past ten months because ... I hadn't done it. They had finally given up.

I made some new friends, collected my sodden stuff, and trudged home with no clue about my final time.

Didn't matter. I finished my first triathlon.

---

Postscript: Since that day, I went on to complete several sprint triathlons, a 10-mile run,a half-marathon and an Olympic-distance triathlon, the Reston, Virginia Triathlon. This is the distance in which I am competing at Gay Games 2006. Even though it is the morning after Opening Ceremonies, I am NOT missing Opening Ceremonies! I participated in Gay Games New York in 1994 and played in various band-related events.

But this time, there's no band for me. This time, I'm a triathlete.
— Jamie Roberson, Reston, Virginia

TopFan researcher interviewed on the lack of out footballers

We've regularly covered the "TopFan" research of Ellis Cashmore of Staffordshire University, whom we had the pleasure of meeting at the 2012 IOC Sport for All conference. The San Francisco Chronicle looks to Cashmore to better understand incidences of homophobia in football and the lack of out players. Here's an extract:

An estimated 500,000 professionals have kicked soccer balls across the globe. So far, only one top pro has come out as gay, the late Justin Fashanu of England. Tennis, rugby and other sports have witnessed gay athletes coming out. So what of soccer?

English academic Ellis Cashmore, author of "Making Sense of Sports," published research last year in the Journal of Sport and Social Issues. Ninety-three percent of participants in the broad survey, which included average fans and people involved professionally in British soccer, opposed homophobia.

So I asked him this week: Why have no openly gay players emerged?

"Gay players are already known by the clubs' front offices as well as other players, perhaps game officials and agents; they observe a code of silence," Cashmore said. "Reason? They assume it is in none of their interests to make it known if a player is gay. Other players think they will be mocked by players from other teams, front offices think it will hurt the club's 'brand' if it is seen as the only club to have an openly gay player, refs and other officials have members of their own fraternity who are gay and wish to remain in-closet, and agents mistakenly assume their own commissions will take a hit if one of their clients is known to be gay. When a player comes out or is outed, they will all reflect on how wrong they were. Fans' reactions will be surprisingly muted."

Read in full HERE.

Olympic torchbearers: Colin Renshaw

We're looking again at LGBT Olympic torchbearers and their nomination stories:

Colin Renshaw of Wirral, age 45
Carrying the Flame through Bolton
Carrying the Flame on 31 May 2012

Colin's nomination story
I would like to nominate Colin Renshaw for his outstanding and dedicated contribution to his local community, particularly that of the LGBT Community of Greater Manchester. Colin has worked tirelessly on a voluntary basis for a variety of organisations, including the 2002 Commonwealth Games and various other sports events, but has particularly excelled himself as a team leader/ volunteer coordinator (voluntary positions themselves) with both Manchester Pride and the Manchester International Festival - dedicating many hours despite obstacles such as serious ill health and redundancy. He is a credit to his community and would take great pride and honour in the role of Olympic Torch Bearer if selected.

RainbOreo leads to new calls for boycott of brand and owner Kraft

Oreo has put out this photo of a rainbow-colored Oreo in honor of Pride Month, and of course this has lead to nutty calls to boycott the brand.

This isn't a first for brand-owner Kraft Foods, a sponsor of Gay Games VII, which led to calls for... you got it... a boycott seven years ago this month. Kraft's still going strong. Jerry Falwell... not so much.

(Retired) skier Anja Paerson comes out

From The Ski Channel:

Olympic Champion Anja Paerson is one of skiing’s greatest athletes. Since her debut in the 1988 World Cup, the Swedish alpine racer has earned 19 championship medals, 42 World Cup victories and two overall World Cup titles (in 2004 and 2005). In addition to crushing it throughout the World Cup circuit, Paerson was a three-time Olympian and took home six Olympic medals. During the 2002 Salt Lake City Games she earned silver in giant slalom and bronze in slalom, claimed gold in slalom during the 2006 Turnin Games where she also won two bronze medals in combined and downhill, and most recently a bronze medal in the 2010 Vancouver Games’ super-combined. Earlier this year the skier opted to retire from competition, with the Schladming World Cup event marking her final turns before transitioning to a quieter lifestyle. The lull in excitement would be short-lived for Anja, as the ski star made international headlines this past weekend when she confirmed to the world that she was involved in a long-term relationship with another woman.

Paerson made the revelation while hosting a program on Swedish public radio. She detailed that since 2005, she has developed a romantic relationship with girlfriend Filippa. She described the phenomenon of finding her partner by saying, ”I had never intended to fall in love with a woman. Never thought that my heart could beat so fast for a woman. I was insanely in love.”

She went on to explain her thought process on making such a public announcement, saying, ”I am tired of being someone else and of playing a game. I owe it to myself and especially to Filippa to tell the truth.”

Keep reading HERE.

Eurogames 2012 just about ready

We'll spare you the photos of the work of local homophobes, and share this one of Klaus Heusslein with the goody bags patiently filled by FriGo volunteers!

What progress for women in the Olympics since 2008?

From a 2008 story on the USOC website a look at the situation for women at the Beijing Olympics:



BEIJING (AP) Women are competing at the 2008 Games in record numbers, yet the Olympic movement remains under fire on the gender front - accused of failing to reduce male dominance in its own ranks and tolerating countries which exclude women from their teams.

Of more than 11,000 athletes assembled in Beijing, 42 percent are women. That's up from less than 26 percent in 1988, and illustrates the success of an aggressive campaign since then by the International Olympic Committee to move toward gender equity.

The IOC itself, and its affiliates, haven't done nearly as well, falling short of their own goals.

Of the IOC's 110 members, 16 are women [approximately 20 today in 2012]  - and only one serves on the powerful 15-member executive board [two today]. A sizable majority of the 205 national Olympic committees have executive bodies that are at least 80 percent male, and only two of the 35 Olympic sports federations have women as presidents.

"I'm deeply disappointed," said Anita DeFrantz, the senior U.S. member of the IOC and chair of its Women and Sport Commission.

"I don't understand why we haven't been successful," she said. "I'm reviewing everything to determine what it is that's blocking us." [Um, sexism from men and the women who are the objective allies of sexism?]

One fundamental problem is that sports administration in many nations remains an old boys club. DeFrantz said change will be too slow unless the men in power commit themselves to grooming women as leaders.

DeFrantz also is among many advocates of women's sports who have run out of patience with Saudi Arabia, the last major nation that bars women from its Olympic teams. She wants the Saudis - who have fielded a 17-man squad in Beijing - to be excluded from the 2012 Games in London unless they end their males-only policy. [So far, no real progress there, despite the Saudi fake out this week which will allow the IOC to claim that the "problem" is "solved"]

"Perhaps after these games it will be clear they will be the only outliers and have to allow women to compete," DeFrantz said. "The women in that country deserve the opportunity."

Critics contend the IOC is failing to adhere to its own charter, which says discrimination on the basis of sex is "incompatible with belonging to the Olympic movement." They suggest that a double-standard is at work, with the IOC more tolerant of gender bias than it was of the institutionalized racial segregation that triggered South Africa's exclusion from the Olympics during the apartheid era. [Yep.]

However, many IOC members may be reluctant to bar the Saudis from London.

"I'd be surprised and disappointed if we took such draconian action," said senior IOC member Kevan Gosper. "All that would do is have the athletes of that country suffer." [Well, the male athletes. Remember that the women athletes are already suffering, and you seem decidedly unmoved that their situation.]

Apartheid "was considered a crime against humanity," Gosper said. "I don't think that can be considered parallel to the effort to bring women into absolutely equal gender balance." [Alas, sexism is not considered a crime against humanity. But it should be.]

Whether Saudi Arabia changes on its own remains to be seen. The government is generally wary of angering conservative Islamic clergy, yet the issue of women in sports has been raised recently in the Saudi media and reportedly has been debated by a high-level government advisory council.

Saudi Arabia currently bans sports and physical education classes in state-run girls' schools. Women have discreetly formed a few sports teams on their own, but the level of competition is considered a world away from Olympic caliber.

Qatar joined Saudi Arabia this year in sending an all-male team to Beijing. But several Arab countries that formerly excluded women have relented - Oman, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates, for example. The UAE last week chose a woman as its Olympic flagbearer - Sheikha Maitha Almaktoum, a royal family member competing in taekwondo.

Ebrahim Abdul Malek, general secretary of the UAE's Olympic committee, told a local newspaper, The National, that this was a message to "the entire Gulf region and the whole Arab world. ... everyone, man and woman, should simply work hard at their sport. There are no limits at all."

Among the other Muslim women competing is Robina Muqimyar from war-torn Afghanistan, which was expelled from the Olympics when the women-oppressing Taliban was in power.

Muqimyar is back for a second Olympics after becoming one of the first two Afghan women ever to compete in the games four years ago.

"I want to change the history of Afghanistan," she said then. "I want the other women to watch me and see me and follow me."

Even within the realm of Olympic competition, there are some limits for women. Two sports - ski-jumping and boxing - remain male-only despite vigorous lobbying by the women who compete in them.

Nine women ski jumpers have filed suit against the organizers of the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, alleging that excluding their sport is a violation of Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees gender equality. The IOC insists women's ski jumping is too embryonic to be included - its first world championship isn't until next year.

The IOC rejected women's boxing for Beijing three years ago - in part because of concerns about the International Amateur Boxing Association that weren't related to gender. There may be a new bid next year to get women's boxing on the program for London. [Progress here, but synchronized swimming still lacks parity, with men being excluded from international competition, except at the Gay Games.]

Underrepresentation of women on the IOC may be the problem slowest to fade.

"It's different from running a race or playing a team event," Gosper said. "You don't have to be voted into a gold medal. But in administration, most positions are obtained by voting, and if you come from a base where it's almost been 100 percent masculine, it's going to be a more tedious and challenging process."

Medal-winning table tennis players keeping fit

A video from Pink Pong, the lead promoters of Table Tennis at Gay Games VIII::

Practice at Paradise, in Sunnyside, Queens, June 14, 2012.

Battle between the two gold medalists from the Gay Games VIII in Cologne, Germany Lee Hao and Wolfgang Busch, who won the gold together in the Doubles Recreational Division. Team NY dominated the Recreational Division winning 8 medals total.

Also in the video is our Under 1750 ranking tournament winner and silver medalist from Cologne in the C Division Hai He, Most Improved Player of the year 2010 and 2011 Kevin Wallace, founding member Rodolfo Simons and Jeff Warren playing Lee. During practice everybody plays everybody, winning 2 out of 3 games, which gives the lower level players the opportunity to play better players.

Chris Morgan takes new world title

Congratulations to Gay Games Ambassador Chris Morgan!

Chris Morgan, the current Gay Games Powerlifting champion has this weekend won his fifth world championship title.

He was lifting in the World Deadlift Championships held in Autun, France where he made lifts of 202.5 kg followed by 220 kg and then 240 kg to win the World Open title in the 82.5-kg class.

Speaking about the competition, Chris said:

‘I’m delighted to have won my fifth world championship title here in France this weekend. This is the first time in my fourteen-year career that I’ve held British Open, European Open, World Open and Gay Games titles all at the same time. This special moment seems ironic considering that only two weeks ago I almost decided not to compete at all due to a series of injuries’.

‘It was only when viewing an old photograph of the opening ceremony of the London Olympics in 1948 that I changed my mind. The photograph carried the words that sometimes the important thing in the Olympic Games is not the winning, but the taking part. The essential thing in life is not conquering, but fighting well’

‘This year we all have an amazing opportunity to participate in sports in some way through the Olympic experiences that are happening around us. Even if you are not competing in the Olympic games there is in fact a way which you can contribute to an equal fairer sports community for all of us’.

‘I’d like to remind you about the UK Government Charter for action against homophobia and transphobia in sports. If you haven't yet signed the charter, please visit the Facebook page [facebook/lgbtsportscharter] or send a message of support to sportscharter@geo.gsi.gov.uk

You'll find a short TV news report (in French) on the competition HERE.

Saudi Arabia does the bare minimum to allow IOC to save face on religious discrimination against women

Dalma Rushdi Malhas, human fig leaf

From the BBC, news that Saudi Arabia may deign to respect international law and the Olympic Charter by allowing women (or rather, one woman) to compete in the Olympics. 

We note that the token woman is likely to be equestrian Dalma Rushdi Malhas, who competed in the first Youth Olympics, not as part of the Saudi Arabian team, but at the invitation of the IOC, and at her own expense. 

Note also that women remain in effect excluded from sport, and that only a very few sports could ever be open to women due to Islamist repression with regard to dress and access to public spaces.

We also note that the Saudis themselves explain that they were force to make this "concession" to the Olympic Charter only due to pressure and controversy, which is something to remember when the objective allies of repressive regimes call for quiet diplomacy rather than public action. The only reason the IOC was "negotiating" with the Saudis (and just why should an organization be negotiating to have its rules respected?) was because outside groups, including the FGG, have repeatedly called on the IOC to respect its own charter.

We fear that this token participation will allow the IOC to claim "victory", and that the exclusion of women from sport in Saudi Arabia and other Islamist countries will continue unabated, and that the calls for religion-based interference with the practice of sport, including the effective requirement for the hijab to be worn by women athletes, will only grow stronger.

Saudi Arabia is to allow its women athletes to compete in the Olympics for the first time.

Officials say the country's Olympic Committee will "oversee participation of women athletes who can qualify".

The decision will end recent speculation as to whether the entire Saudi team could have been disqualified on grounds of gender discrimination.

The public participation of women in sport is still fiercely opposed by many Saudi religious conservatives.

There is almost no public tradition of women participating in sport in the country.

Saudi officials say that with the Games now just a few weeks away, the only female competitor at Olympic standard is showjumper Dalma Rushdi Malhas.

But they added that there may be scope for others to compete and that if successful they would be dressed "to preserve their dignity".

In practice this is likely to mean modest, loose-fitting garments and "a sports hijab", a scarf covering the hair but not the face.

For the desert kingdom, the decision to allow women to compete in the Olympics is a huge step, overturning deep-rooted opposition from those opposed to any public role for women.

As recently as April, the indications were that Saudi Arabia's rulers would accede to the sensitivities of the religious conservatives and maintain the ban on allowing women to take part.

But for the past six weeks there have been intense, behind-the-scenes discussions led by King Abdullah, who has long been pushing for women to play a more active role in Saudi society.
'Subtle reform'

In secret meetings in Jeddah, officials say a consensus was reached in mid-June between the king, the crown prince, the foreign minister, the leading religious cleric, the grand mufti and others, to overturn the ban.

An announcement was ready to be made but then had to be delayed as the country marked the sudden death of Crown Prince Nayef.

"It's very sensitive," a senior Saudi official told the BBC. "King Abdullah is trying to initiate reform in a subtle way, by finding the right balance between going too fast or too slow.

"For example, he allowed the participation of women in the Shura council [an advisory body] so the Olympic decision is part of an ongoing process, it's not isolated."

The official acknowledged that to refuse to let women take part would have looked bad on the international stage.

"Partly because of the mounting criticism we woke up and realised we had to deal with this. We believe Saudi society will accept this," the official said.

Interview with Sara Waddell Lewinstein

The Windy City Times has a lovely interview with Sara Waddell Lewinstein, a founder of the Gay Games, widow of Dr Tom Waddell,and winner of the 2010 Tom Waddell Award. Here's an extract:

[Sara] will be in Cleveland in 2014. Lewinstein said Waddell would be "ecstatic" that his vision—the Gay Games—is stronger than ever. "He definitely provided a civil-rights movement for our culture," Lewinstein said. "I think he'd say, 'Let's go back to the quality instead of the quantity of how many sports are actually participated in.' He'd be so proud of the Gay Games, and [there's] no reason he shouldn't be.

Read in full HERE.

Wrestler Akil Patterson and the Patterson Project

Dan Woog has written a great profile of wrestler Akil Patterson, a member of the Equality Coaching Alliance, and his efforts to bring his personal experience as an example to youth, and in particular to young black men:


When University of Nebraska assistant football coach Ron Brown made anti-gay comments recently - among other things, he threatened the Omaha city council with eternal damnation if it passed a bill prohibiting businesses from firing workers because they're gay - many people were outraged.

Akil Patterson was too. But he understood better than many others where Brown was coming from. Patterson is a former Division I football player. Like Brown, he's African American.

But Patterson's life path has been very different. A gay man, Patterson is dedicating his life to making sure that young athletes do not get bullied or harassed for any reason. Particularly for being gay.

[...]

That openness has enabled him to reach out to others, through something he calls The Patterson Project [HERE].

"It's a mission of love," he says. Through it - by blogging, speaking and serving as a role model - Patterson educates whoever will listen, from elementary school youth through college students, about the importance of being true to yourself.

"The Patterson Project offers a different spin on the life of LGBT athletes, because it doesn't just focus on sexuality," he says. He emphasizes the mental, physical, social and psychological aspects of living life with integrity. He learned many of those skills while working in youth detention centers and courts. With his imposing size (he's 6-foot-3-inches) and athletic accomplishments (he's still a highly ranked Greco-Roman grappler), Patterson has vowed to counter the destructive influences of people like Ron Brown.

As a big, strong athlete, he knows he does not fit the stereotype of a gay man. He could easily "pass" as a straight jock - he did for years, all through college. But Patterson says that would not serve anyone well. Not him, and not young athletes who need role models.

Keep reading HERE.

Photos from Trevor Burchick's torchbearing

Here are some photos from Trevor's run. Thanks to Lindsay England (seen above, not in the furry suit).

Trevor Burchick of Salford, age 51
Carrying the Flame through Stockport
Carrying the Flame on 24 June 2012


Trevor's nomination story
Trevor Burchick MBE is an inspiration to all, having been awarded the MBE and awards for his voluntary services to the communities across Greater Manchester, Trevor is well known for his creative PrideGames and in being a leading voice for community groups in chasing out hate crime and homophobia from sports by encouraging more lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people to take part in over thirty different sports. Pridesports has blossomed to become a beacon of hope for many, promoting equality of opportunity into sport not only for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community but as an encouragement for the wider community that inspires all socially excluded people to see how taking action can bring about inclusion. Trevor achieved in ten years a defining respect, trust and admiration that ensures everyone, regardless of culture, age, disability, sexuality, economic or diversity factor is able to have the right to participate. In being a Torchbearer Trevor would not be running alone as on his shoulders will be all those groups, individuals, ideas and dreams he represents.

24 June 2012 / Olympic torchbearers: Heather Davidson TODAY

We're looking again at LGBT Olympic torchbearers and their nomination stories:

Heather Davidson of Manchester, age 23
Carrying the Flame through Trafford
Carrying the Flame on 24 June 2012

Heather's nomination story
Heather was born prematurely and has Cerebral Palsy and various other medical conditions as well as a congenital spinal problem which is unrelated to the previous conditions. Despite constant pain she is taking a computing degree and gives all her spare time to helping a part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender group aimed at young people struggling with their sexuality and the attitudes of others including that of their families who often have disowned them. Heather campaigns for their rights, organises activities and events and this includes her taking part in outdoor sports, camping and hiking. Heather has always tried her best and tried to maintain good humour despite her pain and discomfort. She gives her time freely and goes beyond what is required of her. She bakes for the group including birthday cakes and voluntarily sits on committees. She was recently put forward for Manchester`s inspirational young person of the year. She has already signed up to volunteer for the games. Heather also cares for her family , she helps out with her autistic eight year old brother by picking him up from school, babysitting and supporting her mum with her health issues. Heather is a true example of how attitude can overcome disability and that despite personal difficulties it is possible to put others first and support society.

24 June 2012 / Olympic torchbearers: Trevor Burchick TODAY

We're looking again at LGBT Olympic torchbearers and their nomination stories:

Trevor Burchick of Salford, age 51
Carrying the Flame through Stockport
Carrying the Flame on 24 June 2012


Trevor's nomination story
Trevor Burchick MBE is an inspiration to all, having been awarded the MBE and awards for his voluntary services to the communities across Greater Manchester, Trevor is well known for his creative PrideGames and in being a leading voice for community groups in chasing out hate crime and homophobia from sports by encouraging more lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people to take part in over thirty different sports. Pridesports has blossomed to become a beacon of hope for many, promoting equality of opportunity into sport not only for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community but as an encouragement for the wider community that inspires all socially excluded people to see how taking action can bring about inclusion. Trevor achieved in ten years a defining respect, trust and admiration that ensures everyone, regardless of culture, age, disability, sexuality, economic or diversity factor is able to have the right to participate. In being a Torchbearer Trevor would not be running alone as on his shoulders will be all those groups, individuals, ideas and dreams he represents.

A great video on the impact of Title IX

Title IX is a US law that requires equal access to men and women in education. Because of the role of educational institutions in sport, for 40 years Title IX has had a huge impact on the presence of girls and women in sport. This video highlights that impact, with a focus on Billie Jean King, founder of the Women's Sport Foundation that continues to campaign for the preservation and enforcement of this ground-breaking legislation.

For Interpride magazine, LGBT sport starts with Tom Waddell at 1968 Olympics

The 2012 Interpride magazine features 16 "Game Changers", "16 amazing Americans who are giving their
all to promote equality on (and off) the court". Their timeline gives pride of place to the Gay Games, starting with Dr Tom Waddell's participation in the 1968 Olympics, then his feature as the first gay couple in People magazine's "Couples" section, and Gay Games I in 1982.

Read the article here:

Open publication - Free publishing - More 2012

Gay Games Ambassador Brian Sims on Current TV

Pennsylvania candidate and civil rights advocate Brian Sims talks about Romney’s stance on marriage equality. Sims also tells his personal story, of coming out as gay while a championship college football player.

San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus "Unplugged" videos coming online

On June 15 & 16 San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus performed "Unplugged": from "Glee" to "American Idol" and "The Voice," contemporary choral music is sweeping the nation. You'll hear SFGMC as never before, completely unplugged-- without any instruments or backup. www.sfgmc.org

Videos from the performance are coming online on YouTube HERE.

30 June 2012 / "Homophobia in the Stadium" conference at Budapest Eurogames

The European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation, in occasion of EuroGames 2012 in Budapest, is glad to invite you to the conference

HOMOPHOBIA IN THE STADIUM European institutions against discrimination in sports

which will take place Saturday, 30th June, at the EuroGames Village (see address below).

Different approaches from (inter)national regional and local governing bodies on tackling homophobia in sports throughout Europe. Which ones are successful, why are they successful? Can they be cuopied to other nations?
Some experts and representatives from European institutions will speak on how to fight against discriminations when doing sport, as well as showing practices already taken in order to tackle homophobia. And all of this, under the umbrella of the first EuroGames ever held in Central and Eastern Europe and in cooperation with the Football for Equality II project, focused on this area and partially funded by the European Commission (DG Justice) under the Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Programme.

Speakers
Sonia Parayre, from the Council of Europe;
Tanja Walther-Arens, former football player, teacher and scientist;
ENGSO Youth session participants presenting their project Taboophobia in Sports;
Lou Englefield, director of Pride Sports (UK) and formerco-president of EGLSF;
Micah Grzywnowicz, expert on LGBTQ issues and integration.

Round table: Governing bodies fighting homophobia in sports (moderated by Lou Englefield)

Closing speech:
Uffe Elbaek, Danish Minister of Culture and Sports and former CEO of OutGames 2009 in Copenhagen (to be confirmed).

Organized by EGLSF
In cooperation with Football for Equality II
With the participation of the Council of Europe

When: Saturday, 30th June, 2012, from 10 am to 1.30 pm
Where: EuroGames Village @ Dürlin. 14th district, Ajtósi Dürer sor 19-21

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Why she's moving to Cleveland: part 4

Gail L Palmer held the title of Alaska Writer’s Guild Slam Champion (two years running) before moving back to the Lower 48 for the greatest reason of all… L-O-V-E

And where has she moved? To Cleveland! We'll be presenting her reasons for loving this choice over the next few days.

Reason 4:

Vibrant Friends

Moving to a new city is hard enough when you don’t know the people– but I’m lucky to know several and they are all amazing. They are artists, business owners, foodies, book lovers, writers, wine drinkers, boaters, community leaders, volleyball players, dog owners, urban hikers, suburban bikers, downtown dwellers, movers and shakers. And they have each made me feel at home before I’ve even moved to town. I adore you all and I look forward to all the Clevelanders I have yet to meet.

24 June 2012 / Esera Tuaolo performing at this weekend's Twin City Pride

The Saloon Pride Block Party

R&B singer Mýa, who's been pretty low-key since her 2001 cover of "Lady Marmalade" with Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim and Pink for the "Moulin Rouge!" soundtrack, headlines the Saloon's block party with singer Crystal Waters, best known for her 1994 dance hit "100% Pure Love." Other acts include Simon Curtis, Pop Rocks and DJ David B, gay ex-NFL player Esera Tuaolo and drag queen Camille Collins. (4:30 p.m.-3 a.m. Sun. 6/24. $15-$20. 18-plus. The Saloon.)

1 August 2012 / Unifty Cup football tournament in Stockholm

News about the Unity Cup from IGLFA member Stockholm Snipers:

UPDATE: Website online at www.unitycup.se

Stockholm Snipers are together with the straight local team Råsunda FC hosting a football tournament in Stockholm during Stockholm Pride in the beginning of August 2012. We are hoping that you would like to spend some bright summer days of football, parties and friendship with us in Stockholm.

The tournament is supported both by Svenska Fotbollsförbundet (Swedish FA) and Stockholms Fotbollsförbund (Stockholm FA) and by inviting some straight teams our goal is to build respect between the communities through football. Råsunda FC is a supporter team to AIK, the best Stockholm team which finished second in Allsvenskan (Swedish Premier League) 2011. That connection will also give extra interest and publicity to the tournament and it is possible that a team consisting of former veteran AIK-players will take part in the tournament.


The tournament will be played both as a more competitive 11-a-side and a 7-a-side tournament for up to 9 teams each. It will be played over 2 days with 3-4 games per team and a game length about 2x30 to 2x35 minutes. Everything depending on the number of participating teams.

The Venue for the tournament will be Skytteholms IP which consists of three fields with high quality artificial grass next to Råsunda Stadium (the Swedish national football stadium). The venue is situated near Solna Centrum and the metro with 8 minutes ride to the city center is only a couple of minutes away.

The tournament will be open for whole teams or individual players without a team for who we are helping to find a team to play with.

19 October 2012 / Euro Gay Cup sailing competition

It is our pleasure to finally announce the 11th Euro Gay Cup. Once again GLBT sailors from all over Europe will compete to be the best European crew. The first organizational issues have been solved, so we can invite you to come to Lemmer / Netherlands from Oct 19th to 22nd 2012 

It was not possible to bring this event to Sweden or the Baltic Sea. After lots of plans and discussions we had to find out that there are major financial or organizational problems. Nevertheless, we are happy to have the 11th Euro Gay Cup in Lemmer again.

The registration fee for the Euro Gay Cup is 279 euros. Included are the costs fort he boats, accommodation (on the vessel), charges for regatta and harbour and the sailors’ party.

Based on last year’s experience we had to increase the fee. There have been some costs which were not been taken into calculation last year and which the organizers had to pay for out of pocket.

We were lucky to have Andreas Kühn and his team on board again. The regatta will be lead by Uwe Moeck, whom you will remember from 2011.

Info and registration HERE.

Em portugues / 15 November 2012 / Jogos Nacionais da Diversidade LGBTS

Dia 15 de Julho estarão abertas as inscrições para a primeira edição dos JOGOS NACIONAIS DA DIVERSIDADE LGBTS - JODS 2012, na cidade de Campo Grande em Mato Grosso do Sul. Quem estiver inscrever terá direito a alimentação e transporte interno durante todos os dias da competição, além de poder concorrer à vagas em alojamentos na cidade e também terá descontos nas festas oficiais entre outros benefícios.

Maiores informações em breve...

A Washington angle to Nike LGBT Sport Summit

Les Johnson and Ashland Johnson at Portland Pride Parade

The Washington Blade looks at last weekend's Nike LGBT Sport Summit in Portland, where Team DC president Les Johnson represented the Federation of Gay Games, and where other Washingtonians also participated:

A transgender former George Washington University basketball player was among the nearly 30 people who took part in an LGBT sports summit at Nike’s world headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., from June 14-17.

Kye Allums, who came out as trans in a 2010 interview with the LGBT sports website Outsports.com, joined Team DC President Les Johnson and National Center for Lesbian Rights policy counsel Ashland Johnson, who also lives in D.C., at the confab. Campus Pride, ESPN, Nike and the National Collegiate Athletic Association were among the 20 organizations that sent representatives to the summit.

During the three-day gathering, participants drafted four broad goals on which they will work over the next four years to end harassment and discrimination against LGBT athletes and coaches. These include collaborations with major professional sports leagues to make them more LGBT inclusive, increased visibility of out collegiate athletes and coaches and the implementation of LGBT-inclusive policies in at least five adult and youth recreational leagues. The fourth objective is to have at least two million young people hear what summit organizers describe as an inclusive definition of “athletic champion.”

[...]


“We’re tired of just waiting around and progress being really slow so we got together,” said Johnson, who represented the Federation of Gay Games at the summit. “We’re trying to do something bold and get Nike behind us. And we’ve got some fresh ideas.”

Several summit participants also marched with the Nike contingent in the Portland Pride Parade that coincided with the end of the gathering.

“It’s the Nike LGBT Sports Summit, but it really is a collaboration between Nike and a bunch of us who want to get this done,” stressed Zeigler, referring to the sporting apparel’s support of the gathering. “Being yourself and maximizing your potential—these are all important pieces of Nike’s brand. What we’re doing is matching Nike’s brand.”

Read in full HERE.

The other Interpride "Game Changers"

The 2012 Interpride magazine features 16 "Game Changers", "16 amazing Americans who are giving their
all to promote equality on (and off) the court". We've posted about the Game Changers closest to the FGG, but we don't want to forget the others:

Anna Aagenes, Kye Allums, Patrick Burke, Helen Carroll, Craig Cassey, Pat Griffin, Robert Lipsyte, Karen Morrison, Martina Navratilova, Pete Olsen, Paul Tagliabue, Hudson Taylor and Equality Coaching Alliance's Kirk Walker.

Read the article here:

Open publication - Free publishing - More 2012

24 June 2012 / "Claiming the Title" broadcast on Cleveland publc TV

Clevelanders: WVIZ will be rebroadcasting "Claiming the Title", a 30-minute documentary on the origins of the Gay Games, this Sunday at 11:30pm.


The court battle that resulted from the Gay Olympic [Games'] use of "Olympics" as part of its name is chronicled. Included: remarks from lawyer Mary Dunlap; Chai Feldblum, who clerked for Supreme Court justice Harry Blackmun during the case; federal judge Alex Kozinski; Supreme Court reporters Linda Greenhouse and Lisa Keen; Gay Games II executive director Shawn Kelly; and Olympic swimmer Susan McGreivy.

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This award-winning 2009 film, Claiming the Title: Gay Olympics on Trial tells the story of the San Francisco athletic group that in 1982 tried to hold a "Gay Olympics," prompting a battle at the nation's highest court and a challenge over the place of gays and lesbians in American society. The case was lifted into the news again recently and linked to the same-sex marriage fight following a surprising coincidence: the attorney representing the U.S. Olympic Committee in their suit to stop the "Gay Olympics" was Vaughn Walker, who decades later was the federal judge chosen to preside over the Proposition 8 marriage trial.

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We also recall the publication of Morehead, a recent novel with a chapter presenting a dramatized version of the legal proceedings:


From Jeffrey Hickey, author of Morehead:

One day a few years ago, while our twin 21-year-

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

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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.