Wele to the 'Gay Gam,' an Olympics alternative, where activism is enuraged and everyone's an athlete | CNN

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• 'THE GAY OLYMPICS': SYDNEY WS BID TO HOST 2023 WORLDPRI EVENTTHE 2023 EDN OF WORLDPRI, A LARGE AND FAST-GROWG LGBTIQ+ EVENT WHICH SOME LL THE ‘GAY OLYMPICS’, IS G TO ATRALIA.PARTICIPANTS TAKG PART THE 41ST ANNUAL GAY AND LBIAN MARDI GRAS PARA SYDNEY, 2 MARCH 2019. SOURCE: AAPSYDNEY HAS WON S BID TO HOST THE 2023 EDN OF WORLDPRI, AN TERNATNAL LGBTIQA+ PRI EVENT DUBBED BY SOME AS THE “GAY OLYMPICS”.THE BIENNIAL WORLDPRI FTIVAL – AN TERNATNAL PROMOTN OF LGBTIQ+ ISSU VIA PARAS, FTIVALS AND OTHER CULTURAL ACTIVI - WILL BE HELD OVER FEBARY AND MARCH TO CI WH THE 2023 SYDNEY GAY AND LBIAN MARDI GRAS.SYDNEY, WHICH WILL BEE THE FIRST CY THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE TO HOST THE EVENT, WAS ANNOUNCED AS THE SUCCSFUL BIDR AT A CEREMONY ATHENS ON SUNDAY, BEATG HOTON AND MONTREAL.SYDNEY WON 60 PER CENT OF VOT OM MEMBERS OF INTERPRI, THE UMBRELLA GROUP FOR TERNATNAL PRI EVENTS.THE 41ST ANNUAL GAY AND LBIAN MARDI GRAS PARA SYDNEY, SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019 SOURCE: AAPTHE SYDNEY GAY AND LBIAN MARDI GRAS WAS PART OF THE BID TO BRG THE EVENT TO THE NEW SOUTH WAL PAL AND HAILED THE SUCCS AS A “MAJOR W” FOR SYDNEY, ATRALIA AND THE ASIA PACIFIC REGN.“BRGG WORLDPRI DOWN UNR MEANS WE N CELEBRATE AND SHE A SPOTLIGHT ON THE UNIQUE CHALLENG FACED BY THE LGBTQI MUNY THE REGN,” -CHAIR GVANNI CAMPOLO-ARCIDIA SAID.THE 80-PAGE EVENT BID SCRIBED THE ASIA PACFIC REGN AS "ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST DIVERSE"."[IT] IS HOME TO 60 PER CENT OF THE WORLD’S POPULATN, YET TOO OFTEN OVERLOOKED AND UNR-REPRENTED. THE VAST MAJORY OF LGBTIQ+ MUNI WH THIS REGN ARE NIED FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS,"  READ.TOURISM MISTER SIMON BIRMGHAM WAS ONE OF MANY PEOPLE POLICS TO WELE NEWS OF THE WNG BID."IT IS ABSOLUTELY FTG THAT ATRALIA AND PARTICULARLY SYDNEY CELEBRATE OUR DIVERSY THROUGH SUCH A SYMBOLIC EVENT THAT WILL ALSO LIVER A HUGE BOOST TO OUR TOURISM DTRY," HE SAID.NSW ARTS MISTER DON HARW SAID THE EVENT WILL “ATTRACT THOANDS OF TERNATNAL VISORS AND PUT SYDNEY ON THE WORLD MAP AS A TLY CLIVE AND UNED GLOBAL CY.”SYDNEY LORD MAYOR CLOVER MOORE AND LABOR MP TANYA PLIBERSEK, THE LATTER OF WHOM HOLDS THE FERAL SEAT OF SYDNEY, BOTH WELED THE NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.SHARE2 M READPUBLISHED 20 OCTOBER 2019 9:05PMUPDATED 20 OCTOBER 2019 9:29PMBY EVAN YOUNGSOURCE: SBS NEWSTAGSATRALIASHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREREMEND FOR YOU
• SYDNEY TO HOST ‘THE GAY OLYMPICS’ 2023
• WHY THE FIRST GAY OLYMPICS WAS A WATERSHED MOMENT SPORTS
• WELE TO THE ‘GAY GAM,’ AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE OLYMPICS, WHERE ACTIVISM IS ENURAGED AND EVERYONE’S AN ATHLETE
• SYDNEY WS BID TO HOST GAY OLYMPICS / WORLDPRI IN 2023
• 'THE GAY OLYMPICS': SYDNEY WS BID TO HOST 2023 WORLDPRI EVENT
• GAY OLYMPIC LEGEND NATALIE COOK TAILS HER TWO WEDDGS, PRE AND POST GAY-MARRIAGE BAN
• HOW HAS THE PRI FLAG EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS?THE RABOW FLAG IS REGNISED AROUND THE WORLD AS A SYMBOL OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY, BUT HASN'T ALWAYS LOOKED THE WAY DO NOW.THE RABOW FLAG IS A SYMBOL OF PRI, ACCEPTANCE AND VISIBILY OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY. SOURCE: AAP / SOPA IMAGE / SIPA USAKEY POTSTHE RABOW FLAG IS A SYMBOL OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY, REPRENTG PRI, SUPPORT, AND INTY.THE ORIGAL GAY PRI FLAGS FLEW 1978 AT A CELEBRATN SAN FRANCIS.THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REVISNS OVER THE YEARS TO MAKE THE FLAG MORE CLIVE.THE RABOW FLAG IS THE GLOBAL SYMBOL OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY, REPRENTG PRI, CLIVY AND SUPPORT. OVER THE YEARS, THE SIGN HAS BEEN UPDATED NUMERO TIM TO CLU AND REPRENT DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE MUNY. THE FLAGS WILL BE A MON SIGHT ACROSS SYDNEY OVER THE G FORTNIGHT AS WORLDPRI BEGS ON FRIDAY AND NS UNTIL 5 MARCH, WH AN TIMATED 500,000 PEOPLE ATTENDG AND BRGG $112 LN TO THE VISOR ENOMY.FOR TERSEX EQUALY MPAIGNER VALENTO VECCHIETTI, THE CHANG TO THE FLAG REPRENT VELOPMENTS SOCIETY AND THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY."JT AS WE ARE LIVG, BREATHG AND EVOLVG, SO MT OUR FLAG, AND NEEDS TO REFLECT OUR DIVERSE SENS OF INTY, OUR DIVERSE SEXUAL ORIENTATNS AND THE DIVERSY THAT WE HAVE OUR SEX CHARACTERISTICS AND BEYOND," SHE SAID.READ MORE'THE GAY OLYMPICS': SYDNEY WS BID TO HOST 2023 WORLDPRI EVENT"AND I THK THAT'S A BETIFUL THG; 'S A VERY HUMAN THG TO DO, TO KEEP EVOLVG AND VELOPG, SO OUR FLAG MT REPRENT THAT."THE FIRST PRI FLAGTHE RABOW FLAG WAS SIGNED BY ARTIST GILBERT BAKER AT THE REQUT OF HARVEY MILK, THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN TO BE ELECTED TO PUBLIC OFFICE CALIFORNIA THE UNED STAT. MR MILK REPORTEDLY URGED BAKER TO CREATE A SYMBOL OF PRI FOR THE GAY MUNY, AND THE RABOW FLAG MA S BUT AT THE 1978 SAN FRANCIS GAY FREEDOM DAY PARA.AMERIN ARTIST AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST GILBERT BAKER CREATED THE FIRST KNOWN RABOW FLAG AS A SYMBOL OF PRI FOR THE GAY MUNY. SOURCE: AAP / FREDRIK PERSSON/EPATHE FLAG FEATURED EIGHT BRIGHTLY-LOURED HORIZONTAL STRIP, WH EACH STRIPE HAVG A DIFFERENT MEANG, AND THE SIGN EVOLVED TO BEE SIX LOURS.THROUGHOUT THE 1980S, 1990S AND 2000S, THE FLAG GAED PROMENCE AND WAS REGULARLY FEATURED CELEBRATNS AND PROMOTNS THE US AND AROUND THE WORLD. IT HAS BEE A SIGNIFIER OF INTY AND ALLYSHIP, IS OFTEN FEATURED PARAS AND SHOPONTS, AND EVEN BEME AN EMOJI 2016. DIVERSY AND CLNIN 2017, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND MUNY ANISER AMBER HIK AND THE PHILALPHIA OFFICE OF LGBT AFFAIRS UPDATED THE FLAG TO ACKNOWLEDGE MARGALISED GROUPS.THEIR NEW FLAG ADD BLACK AND BROWN STRIP TO THE RABOW FLAG TO REPRENT PEOPLE OF LOUR WH THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY AND HIGHLIGHT THE ISSU THEY FACE. READ MORE'QUEER, LIFE, EEDOM': THE VOIC AT VICTORIA'S PRI MARCH THAT WERE SILENCED — UNTIL NOWIN 2017, GILBERT BAKER CREATED A REVISN OF HIS ORIGAL FLAG, ADDG A LAVENR FLAG TO SYMBOLISE DIVERSY.THE FOLLOWG YEAR, A FTIVAL BRAZIL TRODUCED A VERSN WH A WHE STRIPE THE MIDDLE, SIGNIFYG DIVERSY ACROSS SEXUALY, RELIGN AND ETHNICY.PROGRS PRI FLAG AND TERSEX CLIVYIN 2018, AMERIN ARTIST AND GRAPHIC SIGNER DANIEL QUASAR RELEASED A RESIGN, TLED THE PROGRS PRI FLAG.THIS VERSN IS PRISED ELEMENTS OF BOTH THE EXISTG PRI FLAG AND THE TRANSGENR FLAG, AND CLUS BLACK, BROWN, BLUE, PK AND WHE LOURG ADDN TO THE RABOW STRIP. THE CHEVRON SIGN ALSO FEATUR A BLACK STRIPE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE WHO ARE LIVG WH HIV/AIDS AND THOSE WHO HAVE DIED. IN 2021, MS VECCHIETTI - WHO FOUND INTERSEZ EQUALY RIGHTS UK - RESIGNED THE FLAG AGA, ADDG A YELLOW TRIANGLE WH A PURPLE CIRCLE . VALENTO VECCHIETTI SIGNED THE TERSEX-CLIVE PRI FLAG. SOURCE: SUPPLIED / VALENTO VECCHIETTIMS VECCHIETTI TOLD SBS NEWS SHE HAD WANTED TO CLU THE TERSEX MUNY WHOUT RADILLY CHANGG THE FLAG'S SIGN."THE PRI FLAG AND EXISTG QUEER SPAC MEANS A LOT TO ME AND I KNEW THAT IF WE ULD GET REAL TERSEX CLN AT PRI, WOULD MEAN SO MUCH," SHE SAID."I WANTED TO CREATE TERSEX CLN, BUT ALSO WH HUGE RPECT FOR THE PREV ERATNS OF THE FLAG AND THE HUGE RPECT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN VOLVED CREATG SPACE FOR THEIR MUNI ON THAT FLAG."SHARE4 M READPUBLISHED 17 FEBARY 2023 5:40AMBY JSI BAHRSOURCE: SBS NEWSAVAILABLE OTHER LANGUAGTAGSATRALIASHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREREMEND FOR YOU
• RNGAY GAM ABOUT 'VISIBILY AND CLN': ATRALIAN ATHLET ON THEIR IMPORTANCE, THEN AND NOW
• GAY ATHLET ARE MAKG HISTORY AT THE 2018 WTER OLYMPICS
• WELE TO THE ‘GAY GAM,’ AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE OLYMPICS, WHERE ACTIVISM IS ENURAGED AND EVERYONE’S AN ATHLETE
• 10 THGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE GAY GAM, HEADG TO HONG KONG 2022

'THE GAY OLYMPICS': SYDNEY WS BID TO HOST 2023 WORLDPRI EVENTTHE 2023 EDN OF WORLDPRI, A LARGE AND FAST-GROWG LGBTIQ+ EVENT WHICH SOME LL THE ‘GAY OLYMPICS’, IS G TO ATRALIA.PARTICIPANTS TAKG PART THE 41ST ANNUAL GAY AND LBIAN MARDI GRAS PARA SYDNEY, 2 MARCH 2019. SOURCE: AAPSYDNEY HAS WON S BID TO HOST THE 2023 EDN OF WORLDPRI, AN TERNATNAL LGBTIQA+ PRI EVENT DUBBED BY SOME AS THE “GAY OLYMPICS”.THE BIENNIAL WORLDPRI FTIVAL – AN TERNATNAL PROMOTN OF LGBTIQ+ ISSU VIA PARAS, FTIVALS AND OTHER CULTURAL ACTIVI - WILL BE HELD OVER FEBARY AND MARCH TO CI WH THE 2023 SYDNEY GAY AND LBIAN MARDI GRAS.SYDNEY, WHICH WILL BEE THE FIRST CY THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE TO HOST THE EVENT, WAS ANNOUNCED AS THE SUCCSFUL BIDR AT A CEREMONY ATHENS ON SUNDAY, BEATG HOTON AND MONTREAL.SYDNEY WON 60 PER CENT OF VOT OM MEMBERS OF INTERPRI, THE UMBRELLA GROUP FOR TERNATNAL PRI EVENTS.THE 41ST ANNUAL GAY AND LBIAN MARDI GRAS PARA SYDNEY, SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019 SOURCE: AAPTHE SYDNEY GAY AND LBIAN MARDI GRAS WAS PART OF THE BID TO BRG THE EVENT TO THE NEW SOUTH WAL PAL AND HAILED THE SUCCS AS A “MAJOR W” FOR SYDNEY, ATRALIA AND THE ASIA PACIFIC REGN.“BRGG WORLDPRI DOWN UNR MEANS WE N CELEBRATE AND SHE A SPOTLIGHT ON THE UNIQUE CHALLENG FACED BY THE LGBTQI MUNY THE REGN,” -CHAIR GVANNI CAMPOLO-ARCIDIA SAID.THE 80-PAGE EVENT BID SCRIBED THE ASIA PACFIC REGN AS "ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST DIVERSE"."[IT] IS HOME TO 60 PER CENT OF THE WORLD’S POPULATN, YET TOO OFTEN OVERLOOKED AND UNR-REPRENTED. THE VAST MAJORY OF LGBTIQ+ MUNI WH THIS REGN ARE NIED FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS,"  READ.TOURISM MISTER SIMON BIRMGHAM WAS ONE OF MANY PEOPLE POLICS TO WELE NEWS OF THE WNG BID."IT IS ABSOLUTELY FTG THAT ATRALIA AND PARTICULARLY SYDNEY CELEBRATE OUR DIVERSY THROUGH SUCH A SYMBOLIC EVENT THAT WILL ALSO LIVER A HUGE BOOST TO OUR TOURISM DTRY," HE SAID.NSW ARTS MISTER DON HARW SAID THE EVENT WILL “ATTRACT THOANDS OF TERNATNAL VISORS AND PUT SYDNEY ON THE WORLD MAP AS A TLY CLIVE AND UNED GLOBAL CY.”SYDNEY LORD MAYOR CLOVER MOORE AND LABOR MP TANYA PLIBERSEK, THE LATTER OF WHOM HOLDS THE FERAL SEAT OF SYDNEY, BOTH WELED THE NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.SHARE2 M READPUBLISHED 20 OCTOBER 2019 9:05PMUPDATED 20 OCTOBER 2019 9:29PMBY EVAN YOUNGSOURCE: SBS NEWSTAGSATRALIASHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREREMEND FOR YOU

Sydney has won s bid to host the 2023 edn of WorldPri, an ternatnal LGBTIQA+ pri event dubbed by some as the “gay Olympics” biennial WorldPri ftival – an ternatnal promotn of LGBTIQ+ issu via paras, ftivals and other cultural activi - will be held over Febary and March to ci wh the 2023 Sydney Gay and Lbian Mardi, which will bee the first cy the southern hemisphere to host the event, was announced as the succsful bidr at a ceremony Athens on Sunday, beatg Hoton and won 60 per cent of vot om members of InterPri, the umbrella group for ternatnal pri 41st annual Gay and Lbian Mardi Gras para Sydney, Saturday, March 2, 2019 Source: AAPThe Sydney Gay and Lbian Mardi Gras was part of the bid to brg the event to the New South Wal pal and hailed the succs as a “major w” for Sydney, Atralia and the Asia Pacific regn. Adrian Phoon, the Sydney Gay and Lbian Mardi Gras’ newt board director, was tired yet exced as he nervoly awaed the rults of Sydney’s mammoth bid to host WorldPri scribed as the “gay Olympics”, reflectg s sheer sle, he knew WorldPri, which has n every two years sce 2000, is a juggernt – now the world’s biggt LGBTQI event.

It un Gay Pris and their muni across the globe – attractg, at a nservative timate, a ln visors and world-class talent. ”The bid team, led by 78er Robyn Kennedy had spl to two groups – half, cludg Kennedy, Mardi Gras Co-Chair Kate Wickett and Sydney MP Alex Greenwich, travelled to Athens to prent the entry; the other half stood on stage at Stonewall the heart of Atralia’s most famo gay village, eagerly awag news, drks tremblg rult was a triumphant landsli, Sydney wng 60% of vot om members of the InterPri work, beatg Montreal (36%) and Hoton (3%). 2023 will be a tone year for Atralia: the fifth anniversary of marriage equaly and the 45th year of Mardi will also be the first time WorldPri has e to the southern hemisphere, givg Atralia the opportuny to highlight the “achievements and challeng” of the Asia Pacific regn to the world, Phoon says, addg that of the 69 untri where homosexualy is illegal, 21 are Asia.

SYDNEY TO HOST ‘THE GAY OLYMPICS’ 2023

Sydney will host the 2023 edn of WorldPri, an ternatnal LGBTIQA+ pri event known by many as the “gay Olympics”. Sydney will bee the first cy the southern hemisphere to host the biennial event which will be held over Febary and March to ci wh the 2023 Sydney Gay and Lbian Mardi Gras.

Sger Ta Turner was the ma draw at the openg ceremony San Francis for the first Gay Gam 1982, but cy supervisor Doris Ward may have received the biggt reactn om the crowd.

“She said, ‘I’d like to ve you all to the first-ever Gay Olympics, ’” remembers Jim Hahn, one of roughly 1. ”But Gay Gam I, which ran om Augt 28-September 5, 1982, faced many challeng, cludg the U.

WHY THE FIRST GAY OLYMPICS WAS A WATERSHED MOMENT SPORTS

You uld have an Olympics for anythg, ” says Shamey Cramer, a swimmer who -led Team Los Angel the first Gam, “but heaven forbid you should be gay or lbian. Succeed blockg the official e of the term "Olympic, " but the lawsu galvanized support for the Gam, pecially among the gay muny. Participants the gural event today rell Gay Gam I as a watershed moment for gay athlet around the world.

WELE TO THE ‘GAY GAM,’ AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE OLYMPICS, WHERE ACTIVISM IS ENURAGED AND EVERYONE’S AN ATHLETE

"When I walk to the [Gay Gam] openg ceremoni, " says Hahn, "I always get that sense of history g back. Olympian Helps Organize Gay GamAthlet wave to the crowd at the 1994 Gay Gam New openg ceremony at the 1994 Gay Gam New skatg petors at the 1994 Gay Gam New closg ceremony for the 1994 Gay Gam New York was held at Yankee men's softball fal at the 1994 Gay Gam was held Central Gay Gam clu a body-buildg the 2002 Gay Gam Sydney, Atralia, nners ngratulate each other at the 5, 000-meter fal. Like many other LGBT athlet, Wadll wanted to make a siar, powerful statement wh an event for gay MORE: 8 Memorable Protts by Amerin Athlet “You were eher a drag queen or the leather muny—those were the stereotyp that were prented to the public at that time, ” says Rick Thoman, a track and field athlete who peted the first Gay Gam.

SYDNEY WS BID TO HOST GAY OLYMPICS / WORLDPRI IN 2023

“They never thought that we were able to be athletic and be gay at the same time. ”A number of gay and lbian sports leagu emerged the 1970s, as the LGBT muny gradually announced self to mastream society. Still, many outlets for gay athlet, namely bowlg and billiards leagu, were still tied to the bars that had served as safe harbors for s.

“The Gam offer another place to ‘e out’ bis a dark bar, ” Jill Ramsay, the chair of swimmg and divg at the first Gam, told the Bay Area Reporter, one of the natn's first gay newspapers,  1982. READ MORE: Harvey Milk, in the gay munyLike the mpaigns of gay polician Harvey Milk, a well-known muny anizer, the first Gay Gam were a grassroots project. Wadll ed an irong board as a makhift sign-up table for the Gam on a street rner the Castro, a hub of San Francis's gay muny.

'THE GAY OLYMPICS': SYDNEY WS BID TO HOST 2023 WORLDPRI EVENT

How the First Gam Play OutAnnie Wells/Los Angel Tim via Getty ImagShamey Cramer was stmental anizg Gay Gam followg the gural event Gay Gam I, teams were anized by cy, each signg their own uniforms. Charlie Carson, a swimmer who traveled to om New York for Gay Gam I 1982, rells meetg a young swimmer om Atralia who had never peted agast others. READ MORE: Explore history of the LGBTQ movement AmeriIn addn to boxg, basketball, swimmg and a number of other tradnal Olympic sports, the Gay Gam featured billiards, bowlg and a physique petn held at the historic Castro Theater.

Pneerg a New TradnPasl Ron/ALLSPORTGreg Louganis, one of the bt divers Olympic history, publicly revealed he was gay at the Gay Gam to the efforts of Cramer, Hahn, Carson, Thoman and many others, the Gay Gam have taken place every four years sce 1982, wh recent edns drawg parable numbers of athlet to the Olympics and Paralympics. Carson remas proud of the impact of the Gay Gam on the Olympics and broar sportg world.

Six years after the first Gay Gam, equtrian Robert Dover beme the first openly gay athlete to pete the morn Olympics.

GAY OLYMPIC LEGEND NATALIE COOK TAILS HER TWO WEDDGS, PRE AND POST GAY-MARRIAGE BAN

Four years later, diver Greg Louganis me out as part of the openg ceremony of Gay Gam IV. “People went back to their muni, and gay sports jt me out of the woodwork, ” says Thoman, who is still a member of a track club that formed the wake of the Gam. His gay and lbian iends San Francis, though, had never experienced an event as thrillg or movg as the openg ceremony.

HOW HAS THE PRI FLAG EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS?THE RABOW FLAG IS REGNISED AROUND THE WORLD AS A SYMBOL OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY, BUT HASN'T ALWAYS LOOKED THE WAY DO NOW.THE RABOW FLAG IS A SYMBOL OF PRI, ACCEPTANCE AND VISIBILY OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY. SOURCE: AAP / SOPA IMAGE / SIPA USAKEY POTSTHE RABOW FLAG IS A SYMBOL OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY, REPRENTG PRI, SUPPORT, AND INTY.THE ORIGAL GAY PRI FLAGS FLEW 1978 AT A CELEBRATN SAN FRANCIS.THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REVISNS OVER THE YEARS TO MAKE THE FLAG MORE CLIVE.THE RABOW FLAG IS THE GLOBAL SYMBOL OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY, REPRENTG PRI, CLIVY AND SUPPORT. OVER THE YEARS, THE SIGN HAS BEEN UPDATED NUMERO TIM TO CLU AND REPRENT DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE MUNY. THE FLAGS WILL BE A MON SIGHT ACROSS SYDNEY OVER THE G FORTNIGHT AS WORLDPRI BEGS ON FRIDAY AND NS UNTIL 5 MARCH, WH AN TIMATED 500,000 PEOPLE ATTENDG AND BRGG $112 LN TO THE VISOR ENOMY.FOR TERSEX EQUALY MPAIGNER VALENTO VECCHIETTI, THE CHANG TO THE FLAG REPRENT VELOPMENTS SOCIETY AND THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY."JT AS WE ARE LIVG, BREATHG AND EVOLVG, SO MT OUR FLAG, AND NEEDS TO REFLECT OUR DIVERSE SENS OF INTY, OUR DIVERSE SEXUAL ORIENTATNS AND THE DIVERSY THAT WE HAVE OUR SEX CHARACTERISTICS AND BEYOND," SHE SAID.READ MORE'THE GAY OLYMPICS': SYDNEY WS BID TO HOST 2023 WORLDPRI EVENT"AND I THK THAT'S A BETIFUL THG; 'S A VERY HUMAN THG TO DO, TO KEEP EVOLVG AND VELOPG, SO OUR FLAG MT REPRENT THAT."THE FIRST PRI FLAGTHE RABOW FLAG WAS SIGNED BY ARTIST GILBERT BAKER AT THE REQUT OF HARVEY MILK, THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN TO BE ELECTED TO PUBLIC OFFICE CALIFORNIA THE UNED STAT. MR MILK REPORTEDLY URGED BAKER TO CREATE A SYMBOL OF PRI FOR THE GAY MUNY, AND THE RABOW FLAG MA S BUT AT THE 1978 SAN FRANCIS GAY FREEDOM DAY PARA.AMERIN ARTIST AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST GILBERT BAKER CREATED THE FIRST KNOWN RABOW FLAG AS A SYMBOL OF PRI FOR THE GAY MUNY. SOURCE: AAP / FREDRIK PERSSON/EPATHE FLAG FEATURED EIGHT BRIGHTLY-LOURED HORIZONTAL STRIP, WH EACH STRIPE HAVG A DIFFERENT MEANG, AND THE SIGN EVOLVED TO BEE SIX LOURS.THROUGHOUT THE 1980S, 1990S AND 2000S, THE FLAG GAED PROMENCE AND WAS REGULARLY FEATURED CELEBRATNS AND PROMOTNS THE US AND AROUND THE WORLD. IT HAS BEE A SIGNIFIER OF INTY AND ALLYSHIP, IS OFTEN FEATURED PARAS AND SHOPONTS, AND EVEN BEME AN EMOJI 2016. DIVERSY AND CLNIN 2017, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND MUNY ANISER AMBER HIK AND THE PHILALPHIA OFFICE OF LGBT AFFAIRS UPDATED THE FLAG TO ACKNOWLEDGE MARGALISED GROUPS.THEIR NEW FLAG ADD BLACK AND BROWN STRIP TO THE RABOW FLAG TO REPRENT PEOPLE OF LOUR WH THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY AND HIGHLIGHT THE ISSU THEY FACE. READ MORE'QUEER, LIFE, EEDOM': THE VOIC AT VICTORIA'S PRI MARCH THAT WERE SILENCED — UNTIL NOWIN 2017, GILBERT BAKER CREATED A REVISN OF HIS ORIGAL FLAG, ADDG A LAVENR FLAG TO SYMBOLISE DIVERSY.THE FOLLOWG YEAR, A FTIVAL BRAZIL TRODUCED A VERSN WH A WHE STRIPE THE MIDDLE, SIGNIFYG DIVERSY ACROSS SEXUALY, RELIGN AND ETHNICY.PROGRS PRI FLAG AND TERSEX CLIVYIN 2018, AMERIN ARTIST AND GRAPHIC SIGNER DANIEL QUASAR RELEASED A RESIGN, TLED THE PROGRS PRI FLAG.THIS VERSN IS PRISED ELEMENTS OF BOTH THE EXISTG PRI FLAG AND THE TRANSGENR FLAG, AND CLUS BLACK, BROWN, BLUE, PK AND WHE LOURG ADDN TO THE RABOW STRIP. THE CHEVRON SIGN ALSO FEATUR A BLACK STRIPE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE WHO ARE LIVG WH HIV/AIDS AND THOSE WHO HAVE DIED. IN 2021, MS VECCHIETTI - WHO FOUND INTERSEZ EQUALY RIGHTS UK - RESIGNED THE FLAG AGA, ADDG A YELLOW TRIANGLE WH A PURPLE CIRCLE . VALENTO VECCHIETTI SIGNED THE TERSEX-CLIVE PRI FLAG. SOURCE: SUPPLIED / VALENTO VECCHIETTIMS VECCHIETTI TOLD SBS NEWS SHE HAD WANTED TO CLU THE TERSEX MUNY WHOUT RADILLY CHANGG THE FLAG'S SIGN."THE PRI FLAG AND EXISTG QUEER SPAC MEANS A LOT TO ME AND I KNEW THAT IF WE ULD GET REAL TERSEX CLN AT PRI, WOULD MEAN SO MUCH," SHE SAID."I WANTED TO CREATE TERSEX CLN, BUT ALSO WH HUGE RPECT FOR THE PREV ERATNS OF THE FLAG AND THE HUGE RPECT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN VOLVED CREATG SPACE FOR THEIR MUNI ON THAT FLAG."SHARE4 M READPUBLISHED 17 FEBARY 2023 5:40AMBY JSI BAHRSOURCE: SBS NEWSAVAILABLE OTHER LANGUAGTAGSATRALIASHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREREMEND FOR YOU

And so Wadll created the Gay Gam – then lled the Gay Olympics, until the Internatnal Olympic Commtee sued over the name. “The formula for succs was visibily and inty, ” Wadll said an terview followg the first Gay Gam 1982.

RNGAY GAM ABOUT 'VISIBILY AND CLN': ATRALIAN ATHLET ON THEIR IMPORTANCE, THEN AND NOW

Wadll died 1987, but the Gay Gam ntue to this day, growg to an ternatnal phenomenon sce their first eratn. They draw over 10, 000 athlet and sometim seven or eight tim as many spectators, said Shiv Pl, vice print of external relatns for the Feratn of Gay Gam.

GAY ATHLET ARE MAKG HISTORY AT THE 2018 WTER OLYMPICS

You don’t have to be a profsnal athlete – even a proficient one – to pete the Gay Gam. And unlike at the Olympics, activism is enuraged at the Gay Gam, as has been sce the begng when the HIV/AIDS crisis was ravagg LGBTQ muni.

WELE TO THE ‘GAY GAM,’ AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE OLYMPICS, WHERE ACTIVISM IS ENURAGED AND EVERYONE’S AN ATHLETE

Above all, though, the Gay Gam are an event for queer and trans people to gather safely, play sports they love and be themselv whout fear of tolerance. The first Gay Gam were held San Francis 1982, where transmissn of HIV had peaked among the cy’s btlg gay muny. The Gay Gam uld be an act of prott then, too, Wadll cid, an event durg which LGBTQ people uld play the same sports they watched durg the Olympics and achieve the same kd of glory he had at the 1968 Olympics.

10 THGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE GAY GAM, HEADG TO HONG KONG 2022

HIV/AIDS awarens has been baked to the Gay Gam sce s ceptn: In addn to banng discrimatn based on genr, sexualy, race and other tras, the Gay Gam wouldn’t allow any participant to be turned away based on their HIV stat.