Outsports looks at the performance so far of out athletes at the Olympics:
Aug 6, 2012 - We at Outsports have identified104 openly gay and lesbian Summer Olympians over the years. Some of them were out while competing, others came out after their Games. An astonishing 53 of them -- over 50 percent -- have won a medal. That's an incredible percentage and far exceeds the average of all athletes who have taken home Olympic hardware.
This year, we may be on pace for a similar performance. There are 23 publicly out Olympians we know of in London, though the number keeps growing. Already, two out athletes -- German cyclist Judith Arndt (silver) and American tennis player Lisa Raymond (bronze) -- have won medals. And while a number of out Olympians have been eliminated from competition, many others are positioned for a medal.
Featured events
| 7-9 September 2012 Brussels Games Brussels  Learn more HERE. | 26-28 October 2012 QueergamesBern Bern, Switzerland  The success of the first edition of the QueergamesBern proved the need for an LGBT multisport event in Switzerland. This year will be even bigger, with badminton, bowling, running, walking, floorball. Learn more HERE. | 17-20 January 2013 Sin City Shootout Las Vegas  Learn more HERE. | 13-16 June 2013 IGLFA Euro Cup Dublin  Learn more HERE. |
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Pink Sixty News interviews Karen Hultzer
In conversation with Karen Hultzer at Pride House London 2012
South African Olympic archer Karen Hultzer in an informal conversation at Pride House London 2012, with Team GB's sitting vollyball team captain Claire Harvey and Pinksixty's Colin Fallesen.
South African Olympic archer Karen Hultzer in an informal conversation at Pride House London 2012, with Team GB's sitting vollyball team captain Claire Harvey and Pinksixty's Colin Fallesen.
Excluded from sport by homophobia when young, reengaging in sport via LGBT groups
From Pink News, a personal tale of reengaging in sport, and on the effect of homophobia in sport on young people:
It’s like a gritty northern drama – but with extra fog. I’m a weedy kid in dripping specs, shivering in the mud, dreading the prospect of the funny shaped ball coming my way. Then: a wet torpedo from the strong arms of Big Phil.
I duck. I probably squeal. And the games teacher’s yelling at me through the mist: “What’s wrong with you, you big girl’s blouse? Would you rather be inside playing tiddlywinks?”
Looking back it’s a funny story. At the time is was hellish. Such experiences, and such comments from teachers, left me humiliated, ashamed and scared of being found out … That kind of experience is bad for your health. Monday morning was double-games. Sunday nights were often sleepless.
Twenty-five years later, though, I’ve found myself re-engaging with sport. Last year I joined a gay-friendly running group. My sense of my own abilities has changed fundamentally. I’m even watching the Olympics.
Read more about re-engaging in sport as an adult via LGBT sport
It’s like a gritty northern drama – but with extra fog. I’m a weedy kid in dripping specs, shivering in the mud, dreading the prospect of the funny shaped ball coming my way. Then: a wet torpedo from the strong arms of Big Phil.
I duck. I probably squeal. And the games teacher’s yelling at me through the mist: “What’s wrong with you, you big girl’s blouse? Would you rather be inside playing tiddlywinks?”
Looking back it’s a funny story. At the time is was hellish. Such experiences, and such comments from teachers, left me humiliated, ashamed and scared of being found out … That kind of experience is bad for your health. Monday morning was double-games. Sunday nights were often sleepless.
Twenty-five years later, though, I’ve found myself re-engaging with sport. Last year I joined a gay-friendly running group. My sense of my own abilities has changed fundamentally. I’m even watching the Olympics.
Read more about re-engaging in sport as an adult via LGBT sport
Flashback to 2007: Chicago photographer John Gress's Gay Games VII coverage earns a top spot in sport photojournalism award
Chicago-based photographer John Gress has spent his career with one foot in two different realms of photography: commercial and editorial. His unique resume has allowed him to develop a dynamic style that produces striking images whether they are produced in the real world or on set.
Gress' work as a photojournalist regularly appears on the Reuters news wire and in major publications around the world, including Der Spiegel, Le Monde, Time, The New York Times, The Times of London, The Washington Post, and Sports Illustrated. His assignments have included the 2010 Stanley Cup, the 2008 election of President Barack Obama, the 2007 Southern California wildfires, the 2006 Super Bowl, and the 2005 World Series. In 2007, he was named a finalist for the National Press Photographers Association's The Best of Photojournalism Sports Photojournalist of the Year competition.
Among the work earning him this title were photos from 2006's Gay Games VII in Chicago. Here are a few of those photos:
SPORTS PICTURE SERIES - GAY GAMES VII - Will Cater of New York and Arik Pou of The Philippines embrace between Wrestling matches during Gay Games VII in Evanston, Illinois, July 17, 2006. REUTERS/John Gress (UNITED STATES)
Athletes ride their bikes in the Triathlon during Gay Games VII in Chicago, July 16, 2006.
SPORTS PICTURE SERIES - GAY GAMES VII - Michel Jacq-Hergoualdh 63 of Paris, France, keeps an eye on pre-judging for Master Physique competition during Gay Games VII in Evanston, Illinois, July 18, 2006. REUTERS/John Gress (UNITED STATES)
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Ji Wallace on GaydarRadio
Gay Games Ambassador talks about his Olympic career, his work as a Gay Games Ambassador, Pride House, and Gay Games 9!
Ji Wallace discusses HIV status
We thank Ji for sharing this information with us earlier, and are glad that he has spoken about his HIV status.
The position of the Federation of Gay Games is that just as the best arm against ordinary homophobia is for LGBT people to be out and visible, the best arm against the stigma of HIV/AIDS is visibility and transparency.
The position of the Federation of Gay Games is that just as the best arm against ordinary homophobia is for LGBT people to be out and visible, the best arm against the stigma of HIV/AIDS is visibility and transparency.
This is a personal decision which cannot be judged, but we're pleased that Ji has taken this step.
From the Sydney Star Observer:
Gay Australian Olympian Ji Wallace has publicly revealed his HIV status in a letter sent to the Star Observer.
Wallace, a trampolinist who won a silver medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, said he was inspired to make the public admission about his diagnosis after seeing an interview given by US diver Greg Louganis about his battle with HIV and being a gay Olympian.
“I have been contemplating writing this for a while,” Wallace said.
“I caught a CNN Piers Morgan interview with Greg Louganis here in London. It made me think and think and I couldn’t sleep, so I wrote.”
Louganis won four gold and a silver medal at the Olympics between 1976 and 1988 before coming out as both gay and HIV-positive in a 1995 autobiography.
“I felt inspired to write. I too am an Olympic medal winner living with HIV,” Wallace said.
“I have never publicly disclosed this before but felt inspired by [the] interview… and by Anderson Cooper’s ‘coming out’ letter last month describing ‘value in being seen and heard’ in the face of disturbing violence, bullying, persecution and condemnation by peers, colleagues, government officials and worst of all family and friends.
“I too have been that victim of these atrocious behaviours. Luckily I managed to come through.”
Wallace is in London to view the men’s trampoline event and as the guest of honour at several functions with the Olympic Pride House for LGBTI athletes.
“I am doing it to raise awareness of this issue. It is still here,” Wallace told the Star Observer.
“Being seen does have value. A voice does have value. I have the support of my boyfriend, my great friends and my loving parents. Many do not and this is, in part, for them.”
Gay Australian Olympian Ji Wallace has publicly revealed his HIV status in a letter sent to the Star Observer.
Wallace, a trampolinist who won a silver medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, said he was inspired to make the public admission about his diagnosis after seeing an interview given by US diver Greg Louganis about his battle with HIV and being a gay Olympian.
“I have been contemplating writing this for a while,” Wallace said.
“I caught a CNN Piers Morgan interview with Greg Louganis here in London. It made me think and think and I couldn’t sleep, so I wrote.”
Louganis won four gold and a silver medal at the Olympics between 1976 and 1988 before coming out as both gay and HIV-positive in a 1995 autobiography.
“I felt inspired to write. I too am an Olympic medal winner living with HIV,” Wallace said.
“I have never publicly disclosed this before but felt inspired by [the] interview… and by Anderson Cooper’s ‘coming out’ letter last month describing ‘value in being seen and heard’ in the face of disturbing violence, bullying, persecution and condemnation by peers, colleagues, government officials and worst of all family and friends.
“I too have been that victim of these atrocious behaviours. Luckily I managed to come through.”
Wallace is in London to view the men’s trampoline event and as the guest of honour at several functions with the Olympic Pride House for LGBTI athletes.
“I am doing it to raise awareness of this issue. It is still here,” Wallace told the Star Observer.
“Being seen does have value. A voice does have value. I have the support of my boyfriend, my great friends and my loving parents. Many do not and this is, in part, for them.”
Jeff Sheng radio interview about "Fearless" exhibition at Pride House and LGBT sport in general
Jeff Sheng was on public radio in Los Angeles yesterday to talk about LGBT sport, homophobia in sport, and his Pride House version of his "Fearless" exhibition.
Listen to Jeff Sheng's interview online or download the MP3 on the KPCC website.
Listen to Jeff Sheng's interview online or download the MP3 on the KPCC website.
Jeff Sheng's Pride House version of "Fearless" now available online
LONDON OLYMPICS TO FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION OF GAY ATHLETES
Nike debuts new t-shirts in support of LGBT sports photo project
LONDON, August 6, 2012 – American artist Jeff Sheng presents his project Fearless, a photography series about openly gay high school and collegiate team athletes, as part of Pride House 2012 at the London Olympic Games. The ten-minute video exhibition includes photographs of over one hundred athletes as a digital slide show with a voiceover narration by the artist. It will be on display at Pride House until the Olympic Closing Ceremonies on August 12, 2012.
The video can be watched and directly embedded from Vimeo or Youtube:
https://vimeo.com/46875505
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfe8SxGY7D4&feature=g-upl
Fearless is a nine-year long photography project by celebrated artist Jeff Sheng, who since 2003 has photographed over 150 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender identified high school and collegiate athletes in the U.S. and Canada. The video exhibition in London is the first time the photo series has been edited and shown as a slideshow, and the first time the project has been exhibited in Great Britain.
The debut of this work in London coincides with a fundraising drive that features T-shirts with the slogan “Fearless,” printed and donated by Nike to help raise funds for the artist to complete the project next year as a photography book (FearlessPhotobook.com).
In the voiceover narration from the video exhibition, the artist says, “What I’ve discovered are the stories of all these unknown people. They are high school students and college students, some as young as fifteen years old, who face the really horrible prospect of being bullied, harassed or beaten up by their fellow teammates… and these young people do this incredible thing – they simply say, ‘I’m going to be who I am.'”
Marc Naimark, Pride House coordinator for the Federation of Gay Games, says of the exhibit: “By narrating the history of the project and what it means to him, Jeff Sheng has brought the power of these young lives home to viewers who see their engagement in sport and their courage in being out. It’s a lesson for us all, whatever our age, whatever our athletic pursuits.”
Fearless has been widely exhibited in the United States over the last few years, including at the corporate headquarters of both Nike and ESPN. It has also been at over fifty high school and college campuses, and in Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games.
The video exhibition is available online to allow those who are not able make it to London and Pride House to see the project. The video and more information about the Nike supported fundraising drive is at FearlessPhotobook.com
PRIDE HOUSE 2012 CONTACT: LOU ENGLEFIELD, lou@pridesports.org, UK Tel: +44 (0)7949 604610, website: pridehouse2012.org
###
ABOUT JEFF SHENG:
Jeff Sheng is an artist based in Los Angeles, and was recently a visiting guest professor of photography at Harvard University in 2011. He is known for his photo series Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell on closeted U.S. military service members affected by the policy of that same name, which forbid openly gay service members in the US armed forces until 2011. During the Congressional repeal of that policy between 2010-2011, Sheng’s photography series was profiled and covered by multiple media outlets including ABC World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, CNN, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, NPR and the BBC.
ABOUT PRIDE HOUSE 2012:
Pride House 2012 is a project of Pride Sports UK, in collaboration with the Federation of Gay Games, the European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF), GLISA International, the LGBT Consortium, and Phoenix FC, and aims to offer a welcoming space for all athletes, staff, spectators and friends of London 2012. Pride House 2012 will be open from 3 to 7 August at CA House in Limehouse Basin on the river Thames, with the Pride House 2012 festival continuing in various venues through 12 August, the day of the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games.
Nike debuts new t-shirts in support of LGBT sports photo project
LONDON, August 6, 2012 – American artist Jeff Sheng presents his project Fearless, a photography series about openly gay high school and collegiate team athletes, as part of Pride House 2012 at the London Olympic Games. The ten-minute video exhibition includes photographs of over one hundred athletes as a digital slide show with a voiceover narration by the artist. It will be on display at Pride House until the Olympic Closing Ceremonies on August 12, 2012.
The video can be watched and directly embedded from Vimeo or Youtube:
https://vimeo.com/46875505
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfe8SxGY7D4&feature=g-upl
Fearless is a nine-year long photography project by celebrated artist Jeff Sheng, who since 2003 has photographed over 150 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender identified high school and collegiate athletes in the U.S. and Canada. The video exhibition in London is the first time the photo series has been edited and shown as a slideshow, and the first time the project has been exhibited in Great Britain.
The debut of this work in London coincides with a fundraising drive that features T-shirts with the slogan “Fearless,” printed and donated by Nike to help raise funds for the artist to complete the project next year as a photography book (FearlessPhotobook.com).
In the voiceover narration from the video exhibition, the artist says, “What I’ve discovered are the stories of all these unknown people. They are high school students and college students, some as young as fifteen years old, who face the really horrible prospect of being bullied, harassed or beaten up by their fellow teammates… and these young people do this incredible thing – they simply say, ‘I’m going to be who I am.'”
Marc Naimark, Pride House coordinator for the Federation of Gay Games, says of the exhibit: “By narrating the history of the project and what it means to him, Jeff Sheng has brought the power of these young lives home to viewers who see their engagement in sport and their courage in being out. It’s a lesson for us all, whatever our age, whatever our athletic pursuits.”
Fearless has been widely exhibited in the United States over the last few years, including at the corporate headquarters of both Nike and ESPN. It has also been at over fifty high school and college campuses, and in Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games.
The video exhibition is available online to allow those who are not able make it to London and Pride House to see the project. The video and more information about the Nike supported fundraising drive is at FearlessPhotobook.com
PRIDE HOUSE 2012 CONTACT: LOU ENGLEFIELD, lou@pridesports.org, UK Tel: +44 (0)7949 604610, website: pridehouse2012.org
###
ABOUT JEFF SHENG:
Jeff Sheng is an artist based in Los Angeles, and was recently a visiting guest professor of photography at Harvard University in 2011. He is known for his photo series Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell on closeted U.S. military service members affected by the policy of that same name, which forbid openly gay service members in the US armed forces until 2011. During the Congressional repeal of that policy between 2010-2011, Sheng’s photography series was profiled and covered by multiple media outlets including ABC World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, CNN, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, NPR and the BBC.
ABOUT PRIDE HOUSE 2012:
Pride House 2012 is a project of Pride Sports UK, in collaboration with the Federation of Gay Games, the European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF), GLISA International, the LGBT Consortium, and Phoenix FC, and aims to offer a welcoming space for all athletes, staff, spectators and friends of London 2012. Pride House 2012 will be open from 3 to 7 August at CA House in Limehouse Basin on the river Thames, with the Pride House 2012 festival continuing in various venues through 12 August, the day of the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games.
Be proud in Sochi! Protest homophobic ban on Pride House 2014 at Winter Olympîcs in Sochi, Russia
On Saturday 4 August, in response to an invitation from the Federation of Gay Games, LGBT sport and human rights groups met at Pride House 2012 to discuss action with regard to homophobia in the Olympic Movement. A key action item set was support for a Pride House at the 2014Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Russian authorities have already banned this Pride House project, with the International Olympic Committee refusing to take any action whatsoever to ensure that LGBT athletes, coaches, support staff and visitors will be able to meet in a safe place during these Games.
Based on this goal, the Peter Tatchell Foundation is organising a protest.
Thursday 9 August 10.30am at Sochi.Park, London: Protest against Russia's ban on Pride House at the Winter Olympics 2014 in Sochi
All interested in sport free from homophobia are urged to join us: placards will be provided. To indicate your presence please email Peter Tatchell at peteour@petertatchellfoundation.org and Pride House 2012 at pridehouse2012@gmail.com.
When?
Thursday 9 August at 10:30am
Where?
Protest outside the Sochi.Park exhibition in Kensington Gardens, London
Assemble at:
Albert Memorial
Kensington Gardens, Opposite Royal Albert Hall
Kensington Gore
London SW7
Map: http://gaymes.info/ph2012albert
Who?
Peter Tatchell Foundation
OutRage!
And the following partners in Pride House 2012:
Pride Sports UK
The European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation
The Federation of Gay Games
The Gay and Lesbian International Sport Association
Russian authorities have already banned this Pride House project, with the International Olympic Committee refusing to take any action whatsoever to ensure that LGBT athletes, coaches, support staff and visitors will be able to meet in a safe place during these Games.
Based on this goal, the Peter Tatchell Foundation is organising a protest.
Thursday 9 August 10.30am at Sochi.Park, London: Protest against Russia's ban on Pride House at the Winter Olympics 2014 in Sochi
All interested in sport free from homophobia are urged to join us: placards will be provided. To indicate your presence please email Peter Tatchell at peteour@petertatchellfoundation.org and Pride House 2012 at pridehouse2012@gmail.com.
When?
Thursday 9 August at 10:30am
Where?
Protest outside the Sochi.Park exhibition in Kensington Gardens, London
Assemble at:
Albert Memorial
Kensington Gardens, Opposite Royal Albert Hall
Kensington Gore
London SW7
Map: http://gaymes.info/ph2012albert
Who?
Peter Tatchell Foundation
OutRage!
And the following partners in Pride House 2012:
Pride Sports UK
The European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation
The Federation of Gay Games
The Gay and Lesbian International Sport Association
It Gets Better at Pride House 2012
At the suggestion of the FGG, Colin Fallesin of Pink Sixty News has produced these great "It Gets Better" videos of visitors to Pride House 2012, including one from Claire Harvey, captain of Team GB's Paralympic sitting volleyball team!
Trans sport activist supports Gay Games "gender in sport" policy
From the blog of Jennifer McCreath:
Ok folks, the Gay Games 2014 gender policy might not be perfect, but it's a heck of a lot better than the 2003 Stockholm Consensus policy currently in place for the International Olympic Committee. Obviously, the issues here are to find a balance between respecting the dignity and identity of the athletes vs ensuring a fair competition.
the IOC essentially requires the following:
- gonadectomy not less than 2 years prior to competing
- consistent hormone therapy within so-called normal ranges for not less than 2 years
- an independent medical review by IOC officials to ascertain that no competitive advantage exists
- full genital sex reassignment surgery performed
- sex/gender change legally recognized by government officials
Bottom line, the last 2 are totally unnecessary and have no barring on competition.
The gonadectomy is also NOT totally necessary to remove competitive advantage, nor is 2 years any particular type of magic number. as I have stated in this blog before, I was sufficiently disadvantaged within 1 year of hormones and just 6 months after gonadectomy.
As other trans activists have pointed out, this system also only addresses binary transsexuals and does not help resolve matters pertaining to transgender, non-op trans people, intersexxed, genderqueer, or cis athletes who have some sort of hormonal 'disorder'
So what the Gay Games have done to improve?
Keep reading from Jennifer's post on the Gay Games gender policy
Ok folks, the Gay Games 2014 gender policy might not be perfect, but it's a heck of a lot better than the 2003 Stockholm Consensus policy currently in place for the International Olympic Committee. Obviously, the issues here are to find a balance between respecting the dignity and identity of the athletes vs ensuring a fair competition.
the IOC essentially requires the following:
- gonadectomy not less than 2 years prior to competing
- consistent hormone therapy within so-called normal ranges for not less than 2 years
- an independent medical review by IOC officials to ascertain that no competitive advantage exists
- full genital sex reassignment surgery performed
- sex/gender change legally recognized by government officials
Bottom line, the last 2 are totally unnecessary and have no barring on competition.
The gonadectomy is also NOT totally necessary to remove competitive advantage, nor is 2 years any particular type of magic number. as I have stated in this blog before, I was sufficiently disadvantaged within 1 year of hormones and just 6 months after gonadectomy.
As other trans activists have pointed out, this system also only addresses binary transsexuals and does not help resolve matters pertaining to transgender, non-op trans people, intersexxed, genderqueer, or cis athletes who have some sort of hormonal 'disorder'
So what the Gay Games have done to improve?
Keep reading from Jennifer's post on the Gay Games gender policy
Gay Games 9 networking in Columbus
Network Columbus w/ Gay Games 2014 Cleveland at TechColumbus
August 8, 2012 (6:00 PM - 8:00 PM)
Join the members of Network Columbus, central Ohio's progressive GLBT networking group, for our monthly networking event. Admission is free. No RSVP necessary - just come enjoy the fellowship, networking, speakers, and free appetizers!
Speaker: Rob Smitherman, Sports Director, from the Gay Games 9 to be held in Cleveland, August 2014. This will be the central Ohio launch of registration for the games! Plus learn about what's new at TechColumbus and about Pride Night at the Crew coming up Aug 25th.
Location: TechColumbus,
1275 Kinnear Road
Columbus, OH 43212
(614) 487-3700
Contact Info : Chris Hayes 614.268.8525 Email : chayes@outlookmedia.com Url: http://http://www.networkcolumbus.com
August 8, 2012 (6:00 PM - 8:00 PM)
Join the members of Network Columbus, central Ohio's progressive GLBT networking group, for our monthly networking event. Admission is free. No RSVP necessary - just come enjoy the fellowship, networking, speakers, and free appetizers!
Speaker: Rob Smitherman, Sports Director, from the Gay Games 9 to be held in Cleveland, August 2014. This will be the central Ohio launch of registration for the games! Plus learn about what's new at TechColumbus and about Pride Night at the Crew coming up Aug 25th.
Location: TechColumbus,
1275 Kinnear Road
Columbus, OH 43212
(614) 487-3700
Contact Info : Chris Hayes 614.268.8525 Email : chayes@outlookmedia.com Url: http://http://www.networkcolumbus.com
Monday, August 6, 2012
Out for Sport taster week
Out For Sport Week: Monday 13th to Sun 19th August
Out For Sport and London’s LGBT sports clubs invite you to try a new sport!
18 of London’s LGBT sports clubs have got together to organise a week of ‘Sports Taster Sessions’ for London’s LGBT community to try out new sports. We want to showcase London’s vibrant and inclusive LGBT sports community, and show that we have something to offer everyone, regardless of age or ability.
For information about each sport taster session, please go to:
Out For Sport’s website http://www.outforsport.com/ (check out the menu of events under the ‘Out For Sport Week 2012’ tab under the Out For Sport logo)
Out For Sport’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OutForSport (click on the events link under the Out For Sport Week timeline image)
For some sports, spaces are limited due to venue capacity and health and safety, so participants are asked to register their interest in advance.
It’s not just about taking part in sport though, there is a social element too!
Tuesday 14 August 2012
20:00– Sailing Social – The Phoenix Artist Club, WC2H 8BU
Wednesday 15 August 2012
18:30 – 20:30 – Women’s Football with Hackney Women’s FC, Clissold Park,N4 2EY
Park entrance on Green Lanes near bus stop Kings Cresent Estate (Stop PJ)
18:00 – 20:00 – Men’s/ Mixed Football with Leftfooters FC, Regent’s Park (North East corner, by Gloucester Gate)
20:30– Out For Sport’s Women’s Social - Oak Bar, 79 Green Lanes, London, N16 9BU
Thursday 16 August 2012
18:45 – 21:00 – Women’s Basketball with London Cruisers, Bethnal Green Academy, Gosset Street, London, E2 6NW
Friday 17 August 2012
19:45 – 21:00 – Water Polo – London Orca, Porchester Baths, Queensway, W2 5HS. Please register in advance onwww.outtoswim.org, click on “Water Polo” page, then click on “contact us”. We will respond to confirm your attendance.
Saturday 18 August 2012
09:45 – 11:00 – Running with London’s Frontrunners in Hyde Park. Meet at Sport & Leisure, Imperial College London, St Mary’s Campus, Norfolk Place, London, W2 1PG. Please click on the link to register to run by 10am on the day before the run http://www.londonfrontrunners.org/index.php/contact-us/saturday-access
12:00 – 13:30 – Kickboxing with KB Kickboxing, Piccadilly. Please register in advance: dalia@kbfitness.co.uk.
13:00 – 14:00 Ballroom and Latin (Dancesport), Studio LaDanza ,89 Holloway Road London N7 8LT
13:45 – 15:00 –Duplicate Bridge with West London Gay Bridge Group, Victoria Pub, Paddington. Please have a working knowledge of Bridge. This session is to teach duplicate, not bridge. To register, please email chris@cdtenor.freeserve.co.ukbefore 12th August
15:30 – 17:30 – Self Defence and Martial Artswith Ishigaki Ju Jitsu Club, Oasis Sports Centre, 32 Endell Street, WC2H 9AG London
15:45 – 18:00 – Squash with OutPlay Squash, Finsbury Leisure Centre, Old Street, Norman Street, London , EC1V 3PU. Please email outplay.ciws@ymail.com giving us your name and the session you would like to attend (4pm or 5pm).
18:30 – 20:00 – Swimming Taster Session – Out To Swim, Queen Mother Sports Centre, 223 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, SW1V 1EL. Please register by ‘liking’ Out For Sport on facebook, find the ‘Out To Swim – Swimming Taster Session” and click ‘join’.
18:30– Onwards – Out For Sport Night Out – Shadow Lounge, Soho. Everyone welcome!
Sunday 19 August 2012
10:00 – 12:30 – Hockey with London Royals Hockey Club, John Orwell Sports Centre Tench Street, Wapping, E1W 2QD. To register, click ‘join’ on the London Royals Taster Session in the events section of the Out For Sport facebook page
12:45 – 15:30 – Men’s/Mixed Football with London Titans FC (11 Aside). Old Deer Park, Richmond. Please register your interest by emailing enquiries@londontitans.com
12:00– 16:00 – Alternative Olympics and ‘bring your own’ picnic - Clapham Common Please register your interest by ‘liking’ Out For Sport on facebook, find the ‘London Royals Alternative Olympics’ and click‘join’
13:00 – 16:00 –Volleyball with London Spikers Volleyball Club, Hyde Park (closest tube is Marble Arch)
14.00 – 17:00 – Men’s/Mixed Football with Leftfooters FC, Regent’s Park (North East corner, by Gloucester Gate)
15:00 – 20:00 - Roller Derby with London Roller Girls - Bridge Park Community Leisure Centre - NW10 0RG. Come at 3pm for an information session with Q&A, then watch the teams practice (3 hours), then head off to the Pub!
17:30 – 19:45 –Synchronised Swimming, Out To Swim Angels, Queen Mother Sports Centre, 223 Vauxhall Bridge Road, SW1V 1EL London. Please use the contact form here to send us your name and contact details. http://www.outtoswim.org/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&catid=12&id=8
Out For Sport and London’s LGBT sports clubs invite you to try a new sport!
18 of London’s LGBT sports clubs have got together to organise a week of ‘Sports Taster Sessions’ for London’s LGBT community to try out new sports. We want to showcase London’s vibrant and inclusive LGBT sports community, and show that we have something to offer everyone, regardless of age or ability.
For information about each sport taster session, please go to:
Out For Sport’s website http://www.outforsport.com/ (check out the menu of events under the ‘Out For Sport Week 2012’ tab under the Out For Sport logo)
Out For Sport’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OutForSport (click on the events link under the Out For Sport Week timeline image)
For some sports, spaces are limited due to venue capacity and health and safety, so participants are asked to register their interest in advance.
It’s not just about taking part in sport though, there is a social element too!
Tuesday 14 August 2012
20:00– Sailing Social – The Phoenix Artist Club, WC2H 8BU
Wednesday 15 August 2012
18:30 – 20:30 – Women’s Football with Hackney Women’s FC, Clissold Park,N4 2EY
Park entrance on Green Lanes near bus stop Kings Cresent Estate (Stop PJ)
18:00 – 20:00 – Men’s/ Mixed Football with Leftfooters FC, Regent’s Park (North East corner, by Gloucester Gate)
20:30– Out For Sport’s Women’s Social - Oak Bar, 79 Green Lanes, London, N16 9BU
Thursday 16 August 2012
18:45 – 21:00 – Women’s Basketball with London Cruisers, Bethnal Green Academy, Gosset Street, London, E2 6NW
Friday 17 August 2012
19:45 – 21:00 – Water Polo – London Orca, Porchester Baths, Queensway, W2 5HS. Please register in advance onwww.outtoswim.org, click on “Water Polo” page, then click on “contact us”. We will respond to confirm your attendance.
Saturday 18 August 2012
09:45 – 11:00 – Running with London’s Frontrunners in Hyde Park. Meet at Sport & Leisure, Imperial College London, St Mary’s Campus, Norfolk Place, London, W2 1PG. Please click on the link to register to run by 10am on the day before the run http://www.londonfrontrunners.org/index.php/contact-us/saturday-access
12:00 – 13:30 – Kickboxing with KB Kickboxing, Piccadilly. Please register in advance: dalia@kbfitness.co.uk.
13:00 – 14:00 Ballroom and Latin (Dancesport), Studio LaDanza ,89 Holloway Road London N7 8LT
13:45 – 15:00 –Duplicate Bridge with West London Gay Bridge Group, Victoria Pub, Paddington. Please have a working knowledge of Bridge. This session is to teach duplicate, not bridge. To register, please email chris@cdtenor.freeserve.co.ukbefore 12th August
15:30 – 17:30 – Self Defence and Martial Artswith Ishigaki Ju Jitsu Club, Oasis Sports Centre, 32 Endell Street, WC2H 9AG London
15:45 – 18:00 – Squash with OutPlay Squash, Finsbury Leisure Centre, Old Street, Norman Street, London , EC1V 3PU. Please email outplay.ciws@ymail.com giving us your name and the session you would like to attend (4pm or 5pm).
18:30 – 20:00 – Swimming Taster Session – Out To Swim, Queen Mother Sports Centre, 223 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, SW1V 1EL. Please register by ‘liking’ Out For Sport on facebook, find the ‘Out To Swim – Swimming Taster Session” and click ‘join’.
18:30– Onwards – Out For Sport Night Out – Shadow Lounge, Soho. Everyone welcome!
Sunday 19 August 2012
10:00 – 12:30 – Hockey with London Royals Hockey Club, John Orwell Sports Centre Tench Street, Wapping, E1W 2QD. To register, click ‘join’ on the London Royals Taster Session in the events section of the Out For Sport facebook page
12:45 – 15:30 – Men’s/Mixed Football with London Titans FC (11 Aside). Old Deer Park, Richmond. Please register your interest by emailing enquiries@londontitans.com
12:00– 16:00 – Alternative Olympics and ‘bring your own’ picnic - Clapham Common Please register your interest by ‘liking’ Out For Sport on facebook, find the ‘London Royals Alternative Olympics’ and click‘join’
13:00 – 16:00 –Volleyball with London Spikers Volleyball Club, Hyde Park (closest tube is Marble Arch)
14.00 – 17:00 – Men’s/Mixed Football with Leftfooters FC, Regent’s Park (North East corner, by Gloucester Gate)
15:00 – 20:00 - Roller Derby with London Roller Girls - Bridge Park Community Leisure Centre - NW10 0RG. Come at 3pm for an information session with Q&A, then watch the teams practice (3 hours), then head off to the Pub!
17:30 – 19:45 –Synchronised Swimming, Out To Swim Angels, Queen Mother Sports Centre, 223 Vauxhall Bridge Road, SW1V 1EL London. Please use the contact form here to send us your name and contact details. http://www.outtoswim.org/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&catid=12&id=8
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Bicycling magazing names Cleveland one of top five up-and-coming cycling cities
By David Howard
Apparently there have been a few Cleveland jokes told over the years: mostly lame jabs about inept sports teams or Rust Belt dreariness. We don't know about any of that. But we do know the city is dead serious about bikes, from Cannondale devotee LeBron James down to the devout commuters at the Cleveland Clinic.
What's to love? For starters, the stretch of bike lane that now runs the length of historic Euclid Avenue, linking the city's two employment hubs. A new towpath just beyond Cleveland's southern border reaches Akron—80 miles away. Plans call for webs of bike paths to unspool east and west as well. To lure tourists in, the Downtown Cleveland Alliance launched a bike-rental program last summer—it will expand this year into a parking garage with showers and lockers.
And then there's the diversity. In January, a nonprofit unveiled plans to build an indoor velodrome—the third of its kind in the country and the only one east of the Rockies. The city is home to the vast Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park and Pedal Republic, which organizes bike-polo tourneys, tall-bike rides and alley cat races..
Ji Wallace and Emy Ritt interviewed for Karen Hultzer feature
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| Ji Wallace, Emy Ritt, Karen Hultzer, Shamey Cramer |
Belinda Goldsmith from Reuters interviews Gay Games Ambassador Ji Wallace and co-president Emy Ritt for her feature on newly out archer Karen Hultzer:
Aug 5 (Reuters) - South African archer Karen Hultzer hopes coming out as a lesbian at the London Olympics will help people struggling with their sexuality and add to the fight against homophobia in sport.
One of 23 openly gay and lesbian athletes at the London Games, Hultzer waited until after her event to go public.
After finishing 46th out of 64 in the women's archery, she said most athletes were so focused on their performance that they could not fight other battles while competing.
"I hope this gives people some courage. The more we come out and talk about it, the more people should realise that being gay is a non-issue and we can progress," Hultzer, 46, who has only been shooting for five years, told Reuters.
[...]
Ji Wallace, who won a silver medal in the men's trampoline at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and came out in 2005, said there were two key reasons for athletes staying in the closet during their career.
Firstly, most athletes were young, still coming to terms with their sexuality, and often too busy for relationships. Bullying on school sports fields was the start of gay athletes hiding their sexuality as they wanted support from team mates.
Second, it came down to money. Athletes feared losing sponsorship or endorsements if they came out.
"Athletes need to focus totally on themselves and their game so they can chase their dreams and goals," Australian Wallace told Reuters. "It is those of us who have finished competing to fight for future generations."
At London, gay rights campaigners have called on the IOC to uphold the Olympic charter on equality and take a firm stand against homophobia, much as the Olympic movement has tackled racism and sexism.
Emy Ritt, co-president of the Federation of Gay Games, said the campaign had notched up a small victory by successfully lobbying London organisers to sanction the first official gay and lesbian pin featuring a rainbow, the symbol of gay pride.
"In the professional sports world we are seeing more and more athletes coming out because the younger generation sees this as far less of a stigma," Ritt told Reuters.
"But we need to make sure that organisations like the IOC encourage equal rights for gay, lesbian and transgender athletes so they feel safe coming out."
Jonathan Cooper, a barrister and chief executive of human rights organisation Human Dignity Trust, said the Olympics were a good opportunity to highlight the 78 countries around the world where homosexuality was illegal.
"Criminalisation is a major systemic human rights problem. With criminalisation comes HIV, violence and exploitation," said Cooper.
Hultzer, who juggles her six-hour-a-day training with running a landscaping business, hoped athletes coming out as gay would help teenagers who are struggling with their sexuality and found themselves bullied online.
"We need to stand up as role models to show that it is not bad to be gay and it is normal," she told Reuters. (editing by Michael Holden)
Read in full HERE.
Games Cologne celebrates second anniversary of Gay Games VIII
Last night organizers of Games Cologne, the host committee for Gay Games VIII, celebrated the second anniversary of the 2010 event.
Thanks to them from the entire Gay Games family!
Photo Shamey Cramer, representing the FGG board of directors
Major props to Ji Wallace!
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| FGG copresident Emy Ritt and Gay Games Ambassador Ji Wallace, silver medal in trampoline at 2000 Olympics |
The Federation of Gay Games is honored to have among its Ambassador Australia's Ji Wallace, who won the silver medal in trampoline in the 2000 Olympics.
He has been a major supporter of our work at Pride House 2012, and has made himself available at every opportunity, where he has shared his engaging personality and enthusiasm.
We look forward to continuing to work with him toward our goals of equality and particpation in the Gay Games in particular and LGBT sport and culture in general.
Ji's returning to Sydney today: we wish him a safe journey and the best of luck back home!
Saturday, August 4, 2012
There's not just one kind of athlete
It points out the diversity in body types, a subject dear to us at the FGG. In our guidelines for sports programs, based on our 30-odd "core sports", we offer flexibility for hosts while attempting to ensure that the Gay Games suit the needs and ability of a wide variety of athletes. Body type is a big part of this concern, as is the variety of types of athletic ability: endurance, speed, coordination, etc.
View all the photos HERE.
First photos from Pride House
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| FGG copresident Emy Ritt and Gay Games Ambassador Ji Wallace, silver medal in trampoline at 2000 Olympics |
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| Artist's statement for "Fearless" exhibition |
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| FGG table |
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| "Against the Rules" |
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| Ji Wallace and Shamey Cramer |
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| South African archer Karen Hultzer with Emy Ritt and members of London 2012 transport team |
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| Out Olympian Karen Hultzer and partner Tracey Saunders |
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| Marc Andreu of Panteres Grogues and Emy Ritt |
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| Pride House table |
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| Pride House table |
Friday, August 3, 2012
Men's synchro swimming at the Olympics
From Gay.net:
With men now presenting bouquets and medals, women punching women in boxing and two women competing for Saudi Arabia (a country that has only allowed male athletes in the past), the London games are one step closer to gender equality.
But two Olympics sports remain closed to men: rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming.
Men's synchronized swimming often conjures up the image of the 1984 Saturday Night Live sketch in which Martin Short and Harry Shearer performed a ridiculously simple and overly dramatic synchronized swimming routine in the shallow end of a pool; two men (one soft-spoken and the other mentally handicapped) with the laughable dream of one day competing in the Olympics.
But in reality, there are men's synchronized swimming teams all around the world.
Keep reading HERE.
With men now presenting bouquets and medals, women punching women in boxing and two women competing for Saudi Arabia (a country that has only allowed male athletes in the past), the London games are one step closer to gender equality.
But two Olympics sports remain closed to men: rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming.
Men's synchronized swimming often conjures up the image of the 1984 Saturday Night Live sketch in which Martin Short and Harry Shearer performed a ridiculously simple and overly dramatic synchronized swimming routine in the shallow end of a pool; two men (one soft-spoken and the other mentally handicapped) with the laughable dream of one day competing in the Olympics.
But in reality, there are men's synchronized swimming teams all around the world.
Keep reading HERE.
IOC and intersex athletes
In this week's column, the Bay Area Reporter's Roger Brigham has a pot pourri of Olympic-related commentary, all of which is worth reading. But we have a particular fondness for his attack on the IOC gender policy:
Question to International Olympic Committee: Did you even bother to read the Women Sports Foundation's position paper on the participation of intersex athletes in women's sports before you adopted your medieval inquisition policy just weeks before the Olympics?
The IOC published its "Regulations on Female Hyperandrogenism" in June to little immediate fanfare. The regulations were generated as a policy response to the emergence in track of 800-meter runner Caster Semenya of South Africa, a world champion woman with an intersex condition. In brief, the policy, which is available at http://tinyurl.com/7l237pt, rules that women whose testosterone levels are at what are considered normal for males may be ruled by a three-member medical panel ineligible for women's competition.
"Nothing in these regulations is intended to make any determination of sex," the document states, and there is a bitter validity to that statement. The IOC is in effect acknowledging such women are women, but do not fit the IOC's image of what a woman should be and therefore not allowed to compete with their peers.
In an article in the American Journal of Bioethics , Hida Viloria, global chair of Organization Intersex International, and former Spanish hurdles champion Maria Jose Mart'nez-Patino wrote, "It is evident that the new policies do not ensure or address fairness for all. Rather, they were devised to ease social discomfort and appease prejudicial complaints against the women they target. The fact that the IAAF and IOC prioritized these complaints over human rights was enabled by the fact that legal experts in Lausanne confirmed that women with hyperandrogenism lack legal protections."
In fitting Olympic conflict, supporters of Semenya celebrated her selection to carry the national flag for the team during the opening ceremonies, while critics of the IOC were launching an online petition to end gender testing. The petition can be found at http://www.allout.org/olympics. The WSF's position paper on intersex inclusion can be found at http://tinyurl.com/cmb33uw. And a wonderful discussion on the lack of scientific basis and gross prejudice behind the policy is available at http://www.med.stanford.edu/121/2012/Karkazis.html.
Semenya's first heat will be on Wednesday, August 8.
Read in full HERE.
See also this post on our blog.
Question to International Olympic Committee: Did you even bother to read the Women Sports Foundation's position paper on the participation of intersex athletes in women's sports before you adopted your medieval inquisition policy just weeks before the Olympics?
The IOC published its "Regulations on Female Hyperandrogenism" in June to little immediate fanfare. The regulations were generated as a policy response to the emergence in track of 800-meter runner Caster Semenya of South Africa, a world champion woman with an intersex condition. In brief, the policy, which is available at http://tinyurl.com/7l237pt, rules that women whose testosterone levels are at what are considered normal for males may be ruled by a three-member medical panel ineligible for women's competition.
"Nothing in these regulations is intended to make any determination of sex," the document states, and there is a bitter validity to that statement. The IOC is in effect acknowledging such women are women, but do not fit the IOC's image of what a woman should be and therefore not allowed to compete with their peers.
In an article in the American Journal of Bioethics , Hida Viloria, global chair of Organization Intersex International, and former Spanish hurdles champion Maria Jose Mart'nez-Patino wrote, "It is evident that the new policies do not ensure or address fairness for all. Rather, they were devised to ease social discomfort and appease prejudicial complaints against the women they target. The fact that the IAAF and IOC prioritized these complaints over human rights was enabled by the fact that legal experts in Lausanne confirmed that women with hyperandrogenism lack legal protections."
In fitting Olympic conflict, supporters of Semenya celebrated her selection to carry the national flag for the team during the opening ceremonies, while critics of the IOC were launching an online petition to end gender testing. The petition can be found at http://www.allout.org/olympics. The WSF's position paper on intersex inclusion can be found at http://tinyurl.com/cmb33uw. And a wonderful discussion on the lack of scientific basis and gross prejudice behind the policy is available at http://www.med.stanford.edu/121/2012/Karkazis.html.
Semenya's first heat will be on Wednesday, August 8.
Read in full HERE.
See also this post on our blog.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Portrait of out Paralympic equestrian Lee Pearson
From the Lesbian and Gay Foundation:
Lee Pearson is often described as the world’s most successful Paralympics dressage rider. He has amassed a total of 27 gold medals since starting Paralympics dressage competitions in 1998. He set an Equestrian world record by being unbeaten at three consecutive Paralympics Games. In 2003, he became the only disabled person to have won a title at the British Dressage National Championships competing against non-disabled riders when he took the 2003 elementary restricted finals.
These are amazing feats for anyone but even more so when you consider that Lee has a condition called arthrogryposis, which means his muscles didn’t grow correctly and he does not have mobility in his ankles or knees and also has restricted movement in his other limbs.
Lee had 15 major operations to straighten his limbs as a child but he has never let his disability get him down and has no plans to have any more operations at the present time.
It has never been a problem for him or others around him however, he wasn’t bullied at school and in fact was Mr Popular and even dated a girl in the year above.. oh how times have changed!
Lee recently became civilly partnered to his other half Mark Latham. He has gone on to win three gold medals at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, U.S.A in October. There seems to be no stopping this man who at just 36 years old has already achieved so much in his life.
Keep reading HERE.
Lee Pearson is often described as the world’s most successful Paralympics dressage rider. He has amassed a total of 27 gold medals since starting Paralympics dressage competitions in 1998. He set an Equestrian world record by being unbeaten at three consecutive Paralympics Games. In 2003, he became the only disabled person to have won a title at the British Dressage National Championships competing against non-disabled riders when he took the 2003 elementary restricted finals.
These are amazing feats for anyone but even more so when you consider that Lee has a condition called arthrogryposis, which means his muscles didn’t grow correctly and he does not have mobility in his ankles or knees and also has restricted movement in his other limbs.
Lee had 15 major operations to straighten his limbs as a child but he has never let his disability get him down and has no plans to have any more operations at the present time.
It has never been a problem for him or others around him however, he wasn’t bullied at school and in fact was Mr Popular and even dated a girl in the year above.. oh how times have changed!
Lee recently became civilly partnered to his other half Mark Latham. He has gone on to win three gold medals at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, U.S.A in October. There seems to be no stopping this man who at just 36 years old has already achieved so much in his life.
Keep reading HERE.
Hate crime vigils organiser brings Olympic torch to Soho
From Pink News:
The organiser of the 17-24-30 hate crime vigils paused with his Olympic torch in Soho yesterday [23 July] to remember victims of anti-gay crimes after running in the official relay in south London.
Mark Healey told PinkNews.co.uk it had been an “amazing day” as part of the relay and that he had run in memory of the victims of hate crimes.
Subsequently, he made the journey into central London with the memento torch given to him by Olympic authorities to pause near the site of the Admiral Duncan bombing.
As the organiser of 17-24-30, Mr Healey was nominated to run with the torch as it made its way through south London yesterday morning ahed of the opening ceremony this Friday.
Keep reading HERE
The organiser of the 17-24-30 hate crime vigils paused with his Olympic torch in Soho yesterday [23 July] to remember victims of anti-gay crimes after running in the official relay in south London.
Mark Healey told PinkNews.co.uk it had been an “amazing day” as part of the relay and that he had run in memory of the victims of hate crimes.
Subsequently, he made the journey into central London with the memento torch given to him by Olympic authorities to pause near the site of the Admiral Duncan bombing.
As the organiser of 17-24-30, Mr Healey was nominated to run with the torch as it made its way through south London yesterday morning ahed of the opening ceremony this Friday.
Keep reading HERE
Trans Olympic hopeful Keelin Godsey tells his story
From Our Group:
On July 21, 2012, I competed at the US Track and Field Olympic Trials in the women’s hammer throw. I competed as the first out female-to-male transgender athlete pre-medical transition. However, this was my second time competing at the Olympic Trials. At the 2008 Trials, I was closeted and placed seventh. This year, however, I was out and placed fifth. I only missed the team by a hair.
The major difference between the Beijing and the London trials was that I was fully, publicly out and everyone knew. My competitors knew. Their coaches knew. Everyone in my field knew. Prior to the games I was inundated with emails and messages, from all sorts of different people about my story and what they thought about it. Dealing with the pressure was a new avenue that I learned to navigate. I trained for 10 years to make the US team. I already had enough pressure on myself to make the team. At the same time, I felt additional pressure to succeed on behalf of the transgender community. Even though there was no direct pressure, I did not want to disappoint all the people who said they looked up to me. I wanted to give them something to look up to.
Keep reading HERE.
On July 21, 2012, I competed at the US Track and Field Olympic Trials in the women’s hammer throw. I competed as the first out female-to-male transgender athlete pre-medical transition. However, this was my second time competing at the Olympic Trials. At the 2008 Trials, I was closeted and placed seventh. This year, however, I was out and placed fifth. I only missed the team by a hair.
The major difference between the Beijing and the London trials was that I was fully, publicly out and everyone knew. My competitors knew. Their coaches knew. Everyone in my field knew. Prior to the games I was inundated with emails and messages, from all sorts of different people about my story and what they thought about it. Dealing with the pressure was a new avenue that I learned to navigate. I trained for 10 years to make the US team. I already had enough pressure on myself to make the team. At the same time, I felt additional pressure to succeed on behalf of the transgender community. Even though there was no direct pressure, I did not want to disappoint all the people who said they looked up to me. I wanted to give them something to look up to.
Keep reading HERE.
Soccer added to Sin City Shootout
This brings the total to 8 different LGBT sports taking place.
The West Hollywood Soccer Club will be the sports coordinator for soccer.
Check back September 1st to register and get all the information on your sport.
www.sincityshootout.com/
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Martina Navratilova encourages athletes to come out
From Gay Star News:
Martina Navratilova, the world’s greatest ever female tennis star has told Gay Star News that closeted gay athletes should come out.
The lesbian multiple-Grand Slam champion says LGBT athletes who are not open are just ‘too paranoid’, in an interview released by GSN today (27 July) to mark the official start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
There are only a handful of openly LGBT people competing in the Olympics this summer – far less than 1% and sport is often cited as being institutionally homophobic.
Keep reading HERE.
Martina Navratilova, the world’s greatest ever female tennis star has told Gay Star News that closeted gay athletes should come out.
The lesbian multiple-Grand Slam champion says LGBT athletes who are not open are just ‘too paranoid’, in an interview released by GSN today (27 July) to mark the official start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
There are only a handful of openly LGBT people competing in the Olympics this summer – far less than 1% and sport is often cited as being institutionally homophobic.
Keep reading HERE.
En français / Yannick Agnel, médaillé olympiqe gay-friendly
Têtu.com évoque le numéro spécial "sport", en kiosque :
Il attire tous les regards. Surtout depuis sa victoire dimanche soir en relais avec ses collègues du 4 x 100 mètres, puis celle en individuel sur 200 mètres nage libre. Yannick Agnel, 20 ans, est sans conteste LA star française des Jeux olympiques de Londres. En une saison, le colosse nîmois (1,98 m, 81 kilos), est passé du statut d’espoir à celui de roi des bassins.
Mais avant même le début des JO, le beau nageur avait tapé dans l'œil de TÊTU. Yannick Agnel est en effet en interview dans le dernier numéro (juillet-août). Dans le cadre d’un vaste dossier sur les sportifs friendly, le jeune champion tricolore évoque l'ouverture d'esprit en équipe de France de natation (Frédéric Bousquet a fait la couv' de TÊTU en février 2010), une équipe où l’on n'hésite pas à s’amuser des clichés véhiculées sur la natation, à chambrer les camarades qui posent en sous-vêtements, une équipe où il n'y a aucun tabou.
Le nouveau phénomène de la natation française s’exprime également sur l’homosexualité dans le sport. «Ceux qui sont gênés par l’homosexualité n’ont pas compris grand-chose à la vie en général, déclare Yannick Agnel. Moi, je trouve ça tout à fait normal. Chacun a l’orientation sexuelle qu'il a. Je ne trouverais pas choquant qu'un nageur ou n'importe quel sportif puisse faire son coming out.»
Continuer à lire ICI.
Il attire tous les regards. Surtout depuis sa victoire dimanche soir en relais avec ses collègues du 4 x 100 mètres, puis celle en individuel sur 200 mètres nage libre. Yannick Agnel, 20 ans, est sans conteste LA star française des Jeux olympiques de Londres. En une saison, le colosse nîmois (1,98 m, 81 kilos), est passé du statut d’espoir à celui de roi des bassins.
Mais avant même le début des JO, le beau nageur avait tapé dans l'œil de TÊTU. Yannick Agnel est en effet en interview dans le dernier numéro (juillet-août). Dans le cadre d’un vaste dossier sur les sportifs friendly, le jeune champion tricolore évoque l'ouverture d'esprit en équipe de France de natation (Frédéric Bousquet a fait la couv' de TÊTU en février 2010), une équipe où l’on n'hésite pas à s’amuser des clichés véhiculées sur la natation, à chambrer les camarades qui posent en sous-vêtements, une équipe où il n'y a aucun tabou.
Le nouveau phénomène de la natation française s’exprime également sur l’homosexualité dans le sport. «Ceux qui sont gênés par l’homosexualité n’ont pas compris grand-chose à la vie en général, déclare Yannick Agnel. Moi, je trouve ça tout à fait normal. Chacun a l’orientation sexuelle qu'il a. Je ne trouverais pas choquant qu'un nageur ou n'importe quel sportif puisse faire son coming out.»
Continuer à lire ICI.
Congratulations Judith Arndt on silver medal in Olympic cycling time trials!
Welcome Philadelphia Falcons
The Philadelphia Falcons Soccer Club, a member of Team Philadelphia and IGLFA, has just joined the Federation of Gay Games as an associate member.
Welcome Falcons!
Welcome Falcons!
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