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

Gay Games Ambassador Esera Tuaolo’s inaugural Inclusion Party at the Super Bowl was a big hit in Minneapolis on Wednesday night, attracting hundreds of revelers expressing support for LGBT inclusion in football.

Former Minnesota Viking defensive ends Esera Tuaolo and Carl Eller celebrated inclusion at Tuaolo’s Super Bowl party. Photo: Steve Elbert

Reprinted from Outsports
2 February 2018
By Cyd Zeigler

Tuaolo, a former NFL player who came out publicly as gay after he retired, wanted to create a tentpole event around the Super Bowl to continue the push for equality and inclusion in his beloved sport of football. Tuaolo called the Super Bowl in his adopted hometown of Minneapolis an “amazing opportunity” to demonstrate inclusion in the NFL.

Among the approximately 300 people in attendance Wednesday night were Minnesota Vikingslegends Robert Smith and Carl Eller, Atlanta Falcons assistant general manager Scott Pioli, and openly gay sports writers Chris Hine and Steve Buckley. A number of athletes and coaches profiled by Outsports were also in attendance, including Justin Rabon, Brad Neumann and Lars Egge. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also took time out of his busy schedule to attend and say a few words.

The entertainment for the night, hosted at the Pourhouse in Downtown Minneapolis, was provided mostly by Tuaolo and his compatriots on last season’s The Voice. Wonderful singers like Natalie Stovall, Kristi Hoopes, Rebecca Brunner, Adam Cunningham, Keisha Renee, Mitchell Lee and Dennis Drummond joined Tuaolo on stage for some fantastic performances.

Proceeds from the event, in addition to successful silent and online auctions, went toward local Minnesota LGBT charities, including Hate Is Wrong, Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center and Avenues For Homeless Youth.

With the Super Bowl in Atlanta next year, Tuaolo will continue his Inclusion Party. He played defensive end for both the Vikings and Falcons during his NFL career.

Reprinted from Connect Sports

By Matt Swenson, January 11, 2018

(second part of a two-part article. Note event #17 below!)

13. Rugby World Cup Sevens - July 20-22

 No sport benefited from a boost from the Rio Olympics more than Rugby Sevens. Two years later, the sport invades AT&T Park in San Francisco. The men’s field features 24 teams, and there are 16 squads in the women’s competition. It’s only the third time the world cup will include both genders.

14. Adaptive Sports USA Junior Nationals - July 21-28

Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana, will host the country’s largest longstanding annual multisport event for youth with a physical disability and/or visual impairment. More than 300 athletes and their families will be on hand as the destination puts a central focus on adaptive sports.

15. AAU Junior Olympic Games - July 25-Aug 4

Des Moines, Iowa, is expecting about 15,000 athletes to compete in the 16-sport competition. The destination hosted the event previous in 2014, 2009 and 2004. Other areas to host on multiple occasions include Detroit, Houston, New Orleans and Hampton Roads, Virginia—talk about good company!

16. Flag Football World Championship - July 28 -29

In what promises to be one of the biggest events in the country’s largest sports complex, more than 225 teams are expected to compete at Grand Park in Hamilton County, Indiana. Beyond the 4,000-plus room nights, the Flag Football World Championship will bring coveted television exposure to the area outside of Indianapolis.

17. Gay Games 10 - Aug. 4-12

Six years before Paris hosts the Summer Olympics for the first time in a century, the City of Lights is the backdrop for the Gay Games. The quadrennial LGBTQ event—dating back 32 years—is expected to bring together 15,000 participants from 70 countries. Figure skating is a welcomed addition to the lineup featuring at least 36 sports. The Gay Games will next be held in Hong Kong, another major international destination that was awarded the 2022 event late last year.

18. OneHockey’s Holiday Invite 2018 - Dec. 27-30

The goal of the Holiday Invite is no less than to set a new Guinness World Record for largest hockey tournament event. OneHockey and the Michigan Hockey Association hope this four-day event will feature as many as 1,000 boys and girls teams, totaling 18,000 or more players from 10 countries.