LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland announced an official reunion of 2014 Gay Games participants as the closing event of Pride.

Reprinted from Cleveland Patch
May 11, 2018 10:59 am ET

The Cleveland Foundation and the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland (The Center) today announced an official reunion of 2014 Gay Games participants as the closing event of Pride in the CLE 2018. “Gay Games 9 Reunion Beach Brunch” is scheduled for Sunday, June 3 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Edgewater Beach.

The 2014 Gay Games presented by the Cleveland Foundation (Gay Games 9) took place from August 9-16, 2014, in venues throughout Cleveland and Akron. More than 35 sports and cultural events were held, with more than 20,000 people from 50 countries participating and visiting. The event generated more than $52 million for the Northeast Ohio economy.

“Before the world prepares to head to Paris, France in August to be part of Gay Games 10, we are thrilled to partner with The Center to celebrate the legacy and impact of Gay Games 9 in our community,” said Michael D. Murphy, Chief Marketing Officer, Cleveland Foundation. “Pride in the CLE is an amazing opportunity to reunite thousands of Gay Games 9 athletes, volunteers and supporters from around our region while supporting The Center as it continues its critical mission of empowering the LGBTQ+ community.”

Gay Games 9 Reunion Beach Brunch will take place on Sunday, June 3 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Kite Field at Edgewater Beach (6500 Cleveland Memorial Shoreway), overlooking the shores of Lake Erie. Food, drinks, entertainment and a resource fair of Gay Games 9 community partners will be available during the event. Bronze, silver and gold medal ticket packages are available at http://bit.ly/GG9BeachBrunch with proceeds from the event to benefit The Center’s Facility Endowment Fund at the Cleveland Foundation, which will support the maintenance, upkeep and renovation of The Center's new facility. Tickets are required to attend the event.

“We are honored to partner with the Cleveland Foundation to present the Gay Games 9 Reunion Beach Brunch. This event reminds us of the spirit of collaboration and partnership that made GG9 a success in Northeast Ohio,” said Phyllis Harris, Executive Director, LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland. “The team of individuals working to present Pride in the CLE have continued the legacy of inclusion and cooperation to create experiences that we can all be proud of.”

Each June, communities all over the world celebrate Pride to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of 1969 that sparked the LGBTQ+ rights movement in America. Cleveland's traditions were among the very first of such celebrations started in the country. In March 2018, The Center and Cleveland Pride Inc. reached an agreement to consolidate Cleveland's two annual Pride events into a single annual event under the Pride in the CLE brand, which will include a series of fun, inclusive events throughout the community from Thursday, May 31 to Sunday, June 3. The Pride in the CLE march and festival will be held on Saturday, June 2 at Cleveland's Public Square. For more information on Pride in the CLE, visit www.prideinthecle.com.

Games open to all and are a "hymn to love" and social diversity

Reprinted from Irish Times
Wed, May 2, 2018, 19:17
By Kitty Holland

About 100 athletes will travel to Paris in August to take part in the 10th Gay Games.

Founded in 1982 to promote the visibility of gay people in sport, they are now open to anyone who is competent in their sport, and are described as “a hymn to love” to advocate a society for social diversity.

Irish athletes will take part in 40 sports, including running, boxing, badminton and soccer over the 10-day event, from August 4th.

Aidan Walsh, chairman of the national committee for Team Ireland, said there remained a lack of role models for Irish gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in sports.

While “rugby and GAA have been very good” there remained a dearth of role models for the community in soccer. He said there was about 20 per cent fewer LGBT people involved in sport than there were in the general population, and while reasons for this needed to be explored, it was “clear there remains a stigma” about being gay and interested in sports.

Team Ireland is fundraising for a team kit, which Mr Walsh estimates would cost a total of €5,000-€6,000.

Squash champion Todd Harrity, who has twice picked up the US Nationals title, became the first openly gay man at the top of the sport this week.

Reprinted from Pink News 30 April 2018. By Nick Duffy

In a post to social media, the 27-year-old athlete wrote: “To everyone I know, and to all who know me, I have something that I am finally ready to get off my chest.

“I am gay, and I’m ready to live my life as an openly gay man. I have decided to come out because I am convinced that having everyone know this about me is the only way I can truly be content. I also think it is what’s best for everyone around me, so that we can more fully understand each other.”

“To the people that I have already told, thank you. I was not ready to have everyone know this about me. I appreciate you keeping my secret, and not telling any curious people who might have asked you.”

He added: “To the Pro Squash world, we are a diverse group of different nationalities, ethnicities, and faiths. I don’t know how this will be received by everyone. But I have been dealing with this for a long time. This is what’s necessary for me to be myself, and best enjoy the rest of my time on the circuit, and beyond.”

Harrity added: “I am not famous. But if I can be a source of inspiration to any others in a similar situation, I am pleased. This has not been easy for me. It has taken me a long time to accept myself as I am. But now I have, and am ready to put all of this behind me and move on with my life.”

There are few openly gay men at the top levels of most professional sports, although there are many gay role models in women’s leagues.

Last year the former world No.1 and No.2 female squash players came out as gay and revealed they’re actually a couple. Aussie champ Rachael Grinham and England’s Jenny Duncalf met through the sport, falling in love after competing against each other professionally. The pair, who between them hold six gold medals and a whopping 44 Tour titles, dominated the sport for years. The two players came out together in May 2017, explaining they want to help others “feel more comfortable in their own skin.”

Duncalf wrote: “We felt that if by openly ‘coming out in professional sport’ we could help just one person feel more comfortable and encouraged about their own journey, then it would be more than worthwhile doing so.”

Grinham added: “I think some people in sport, especially high profile sports, feel that they are contracted to have a certain image and are afraid that being gay would lose them fans and endorsements. But I also think it is way better today than it has been in the past thanks to all those who have endured tough times and rallied for gay rights. 20 years ago I would have been afraid of coming out publicly but I’m proud of the way people’s minds have opened in recent years and I can certainly say that I was confident that this news would get more positive feedback today than negative. And if we can help others, then it’s worth doing.”

Openly gay athletes at the 2018 Olympic Games are becoming fan favourites. When South Korean organizers failed to raise enough money to build a Pride House at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, the Canadian Olympic Committee stepped in to help.

Reprinted from the Vancouver Courier

By Sandra Thomas

February 22, 2018

Adam Rippon (left) and Gus Kenworthy show some LGBTQ pride at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Rippon is the first openly gay man from the U.S. to win a Winter Olympic medal. Photograph By @GUSKENWORTHY / TWITTER

The first Pride House was created in Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics as a safe place for LGBTQ+ athletes, fans and their allies from across the globe to gather.

And from photos available online, it looks like Pride House in PyeongChang is a big hit. Team Canada’s Eric Radford posted a selfie of himself and fiancé Spanish ice dancer Luis Fenero on Twitter Feb. 10 with the caption, “Was so nice to spend some time with this man at #canadahouse and #PrideHouse. #Olympics #pyeongchang2018 #pride #love #Fiancée.”

Also frequenting Pride House is Adam Rippon, who became the first openly gay man from the U.S. to win a Winter Olympic medal when he was awarded the bronze in the men’s free skate Feb. 11.

English figure skater John Curry won the gold medal at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, but was outed by the media after having what he thought was an off-the-record conversation. Following that public outing, Curry faced more questions about his personal life than any of his athletic accomplishments. U.S. figure skater Brian Boitano won the gold in 1988, but didn’t publicly confirm he was gay for 25 years. Even the always over-the-top Jonny Weir didn’t officially come out until the year after he charmed the world at the 2010 Olympics.

But in 2018, there are 15 openly gay and lesbian athletes competing at the Winter Games — and they’re winning medals. Canadian figure skater Eric Radford became the first openly gay Winter Olympian to win a gold medal, while Dutch skater Ireen Wust won a gold in the 1,500 metres and a silver medal in the 3,000 metres, making her the most decorated Dutch Olympic athlete ever. Wust has eight medals and is openly bisexual.

It was freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy who broke the ice on opening day of the 2018 Olympic Games by posting a photo on Twitter stating, “We’re here. We’re queer. Get used to it.” But it was Rippon’s response to a question about what it’s like to be a gay athlete, that quickly made him an Olympic favourite.

“It’s exactly like being a straight athlete. Lots of hard work, but usually done with better eyebrows.”

Six teams have already applied for this program. Make your team the next one!

The Gay Games Uniform Program is back. Save big on customized NIKE merchandise for your team.

If your team is getting ready for Gay Games 10 in Paris, don’t miss this opportunity to order customized NIKE wearable items at 30% discount prices. This program was a big hit in 2014 at Gay Games 9 in Cleveland + Akron…

• 87% of participating teams were very satisfied with the program
  
• 67% were glad they took part in the program
  
• 57% said the merchandise was a great value
  
• 71% said participating in this program was easy
  
• 64% said people commented favorably about my team’s NIKE merchandise
  

The Gay Games Uniform Program is launching earlier this time, giving more teams the opportunity to get top-quality NIKE merchandise featuring your team’s logo. Dozens of colors and styles are available. You can even add individual names and numbers to your team's uniforms.

The exclusive Gay Games Uniform program is presented by the Federation of Gay Games, NIKE, and BSN Sports.

If your team wishes to participate in this program, it’s easy. One person from the team should complete an online application and pay the required administrative fee. The designated “Uniform Captain” will then be contacted by a professional representative of BSN Sports to set up the customized online “My Team Store” that your team will use to shop for the items you choose.

APPLY HERE: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GGUP

Both FGG member organisations and non-member organisations in all countries are eligible to participate in this program. See the online application and program web page (https://gaygames.org/NIKE-Gay-Games-Uniform-Program) for full details.

Make sure your team looks great in Paris. CLICK HERE for the Gay Games Uniform Program!

Paris 2018 Gay Games 10 Official Merchandise can be purchased HERE.

Reprinted from EDGE Media Network

by Andy Smith

Thursday February 22, 2018

Gay Games 9, Cleveland.  (Source:Jeff Kagen)

With the liberating buzz generated by 2014 Olympic medalist and out athlete Gus Kenworthy cheering on new bestie Adam Rippon's medal-winning performance for the U.S. figure skating team at this year's Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, it's an inspiring year to be an LGBTQ amateur athlete participating in the 2018 Paris Gay Games.

Coming to Paris August 4-12, this year's historic event features a dynamic mix of traditional summer and winter sporting events, from figure skating and ice hockey to basketball. With many sports filling up, it's important to register ASAP to secure your spot.

TO READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE, CLICK HERE.

On Saturday, February 3, International FrontRunners and the Federation of Gay Games held the kickoff of their quadrennial International Rainbow Memorial Run, which raises awareness both of the Gay Games and AIDS – a debilitating illness and an empowering event whose histories are interwoven in the defining moments of our community.

reprinted with permission from the Bay Area Reporter

If We Remember, Nothing Is Lost

Previous Tom Waddell Award winners Gene Dermody, left, Brent Nicholson Earle, and Sara Waddell Lewinstein, attended the International Rainbow Memorial Run in San Francisco, which ended at United Nations Plaza. Photo: Eduardo Guardarramas

By Roger Brigham

The memorial run always begins in San Francisco – birthplace of the Gay Games and a crucial battleground for so much of the fight against AIDS – but has substantially changed with evolving circumstances through the years. Tom Waddell Award-winner Brent Nicholson Earle first organized it in 1990 as a relay run to Vancouver – the first time the Gay Games were held outside of San Francisco. Four years later it was a rollerblade relay across the country to New York City, host of Gay Games IV.

To read the complete article, click HERE.

This year, Canada House will double as Pride House, offering a space for LGBT athletes from all competing countries.

Reprinted from CBC.ca

9 February 2018

There are 13 out and proud LGBT athletes at the Winter Olympics, out of more than 3,000 competitors.

While that number may seem low, it’s almost double the number who were out at Sochi — seven.

“I promise, for every athlete that's out, there's at least one or two that aren’t,” said Mark Tewksbury, a Canadian swimmer who won Olympic gold in 1992, and later came out as gay.

Homosexuality is under the radar in South Korea, with limited public discourse on LGBT rights, or support for the activists fighting for them.

That lack of support showed recently when organizers failed to raise funds needed for an LGBT centre at the Olympic Village in Pyeongchang. But then Canada stepped in.

Canada House will now double as Pride House. The first Pride House was in Vancouver in 2010.

A powerful message greets all visitors to Canada House in #PyeongChang2018. “This is your house no matter who you are or where you come from”

READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE HERE.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE GAY IN SOUTH KOREA?

There are no laws against homosexuality in civil society in South Korea, but many LGBT people face family pressure to stay in the closet and even enter into heterosexual marriages, said John Cho, an assistant professor of global studies at Sarah Lawrence College in New York.

Cho did field research on gay men in South Korea, and found that most Koreans do not consider discussion of homosexuality within the public sphere to be an appropriate topic.

Homosexuality has been politicized recently by members of the Christian right, he told The Current's guest host David Cochrane, who are using it "as a political tool to bolster its own power."

The internet has had a galvanizing effect on the gay and lesbian movement in the country however.

"A movement that had all but died in 2007," he said, "last year became this very vibrant movement that had 70,000 people show up for its pride parade."

Check out a really nice video from Denver Westword that features two Colorado athletes busy preparing for Gay Games 10 in Paris:

Joshua Koch, diving
Dirk "David" Smith, swimming

Link to video: https://www.facebook.com/pg/denverwestword/videos/

The excitement surrounding the historic 10th Gay Games intensified by the romance of Paris is driving a high level of early registrations for the August event.

Reprinted from EDGE Media Network
by Andy Smith
Monday Feb 5, 2018

With more than 40,000 visitors, up to 15,000 active participants and 3,000 volunteers expected, reservations for the Games and accommodation are filling up. The Games' golf and tennis events are already full and a number of other events are nearing capacity. Pie charts on web pages (www.paris2018.com) for each designated event indicate the number of participants who have already registered.

Gay Games 10 not only will feature swimming, track & field and other summer events, but also two sports associated with the upcoming Winter Olympics: figure skating and ice hockey.

Paris 2018 is especially exciting because approximately 20 athletes and musicians who participated in every edition of the games since Gay Games I in San Francisco (1982) will be returning for Gay Games 10, according to Doug Litwin, Officer of Marketing, Federation of Gay Games. Former Olympian Dr. Tom Waddell, who came out in the 1970s after participating in track & field at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, founded the games 36 years ago.

Gene Dermody displays his gold medal Gay Games VI in Sydney, 2002.  (Source:Federation of Gay Games)

Gene Dermody - Full Nelson

One of these veteran competitors is wrestler Gene Dermody, who, at age 69, is planning to compete in Paris and then retire from the Games shortly after. It's been a satisfying and emotional journey since his first Games in 1982.

Dermody learned about the Games when we saw a poster in Greenwich Village. His experience was so transformative that he moved to San Francisco and built a more integrated life as an out gay man.

Gay Games founder and former Olympic track & field competitor Tom Waddell (1968 Summer Games) presented Dermody with the Bronze Medal he won at his first Games. "It was a mind-blowing experience. We had a huge wrestling tournament and I'd finally found my tribe."

All the athletes have indelible memories of the competition. A former member of the New York University wrestling team, Gino thought he was "a hotshot wrestler" when he first participated in the Gay Games. However, he soon learned the competition at the highest level was extremely competitive. He did well most years but didn't come out on top until he traveled to Australia two decades later.

"My most memorable experience was in Sydney in 2002 for Gay Games VI, when I finally won a gold medal," he says. "It was amazing. I had injured my Achilles in the first match and then had to win over seven other guys."

James Hahn sporting a shirt from Gay Games VIII, Cologne.  (Source:Federation of Gay Games)

James Hahn - Aiming for 15

James Hahn isn't just happy to be attending his tenth gay games; he has long-term plans. "My first Games was in 1982 when I was just 21 and I hope to make it all the way to Gay Games XV in 2038," says the San Francisco-based bowler. 

He's seen many changes through the years, as cities evolved from acceptance (or reluctant acceptance) to actively courting the Games-a tremendous opportunity for each site's tourism industry.

"It is my observation that major municipalities throughout the world now court the Gay Games. We have approximately the same number of participants as the Olympics, we use many of the same venues, we have many of the same sports as the Olympics, and it takes a significant amount of money and volunteers to produce the Gay Games."

Charlie Carson atop the medal podium (center) at Gay Games I, San Francisco.  (Source:Federation of Gay Games)

Charlie Carson - Making a Splash

New York-based Charlie Carson will be swimming in his tenth Games. "There are six swimmers who've been to all of the Gay Games, (though) I'm the only one not from a California team," says Carson.

His most memorable event remains the first. "Definitely walking into the opening ceremony at Gay Games I, with 1,300 participants parading into Kezar Stadium to the theme from 'Chariots of Fire' with several thousand others in the stands yelling. It was a watershed moment and we were thrilled to be there. It's hard to convey how different an event this was for LGBT people being open about who they were then the norm back then," Carson says.

"Except for political gay pride marches, there hadn't been anything like it in public before."

To learn more and register to participate before your event is full, visit
Registration link: https://parisgaygames.fusesport.com/registration/395/
Main site: https://www.paris2018.com

Follow Gay Games 10 on social media:
Facebook Federation of Gay Games
Facebook Paris 2018
Instagram
YouTube
Twitter
#gaygames #allequal