World Gay Boxg Champnships look to ‘dispt’ homophobia sports - Outsports

Contents:

• ATRALIAN FIGHTS HOMOPHOBIA SPORT WH WORLD GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPS
• THIS GAY BOXER FACED ATH TWICE, AND ME OUT SWGG ON THE OTHER SI
• FROM TROYE SIVAN TO PADAM PADAM: ATRALIA IS S GAY ERA AND THE WORLD SHOULD THANK
• GAY BOXER PROPOS TO BOYIEND AFTER WNG HIS FIRST MATCH
• THE WORLD GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPS LOOK TO ‘DISPT’ HOMOPHOBIA SPORTS
• JAGUARS NFL ACH OUT AS GAY US SPORTS FIRST
• ATRALIAN FIGHTS HOMOPHOBIA WH WORLD GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPS
• KILLER PUNCH OF A SECRETLY GAY BOXERHARD HITTINGWORLD CHAMPN BOXER EE GRIFFH ACCINTALLY KILLED BENNY PARET, HIS OPPONENT A 1962 BOUT. GRIFFH WAS ALSO BLACK AND THE CLOSET—A NEW OPERA EXPLOR HIS DRAMATIC LIFE.EY WILSONUPDATED JUL. 12, 2017 6:31PM EDT / PUBLISHED FEB. 18, 2016 12:01AM EST CHARL HOFF/NY DAILY NEWS ARCHIVE VIA GETTY IMAGJAZZ TMPETER, BANDLEAR, AND POSER TERENCE BLANCHARD TOOK UP BOXG HIS 30S. HE SE LOTS OF PARALLELS BETWEEN BOXG AND JAZZ—THE LIMED REPERTOIRE, THE ART TO , AND IMPROVISG.WHEN BLANCHARD’S BOXG TRAER, FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPN MICHAEL BENTT, TOLD HIM ABOUT EE GRIFFH, BLANCHARD WAS PTIVATED BY THE STORY OF THE WORLD WELTER- AND MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPN WHO ACCINTALLY KILLED AN OPPONENT, BENNY PARET, THE RG DURG A 1962 MATCH, HTG HIM 17 TIM THE LAST ROUND. PARET WENT TO THE HOSPAL A A AND DIED 10 DAYS LATER.THE CINT HNTED GRIFFH, BEG A FG MOMENT HIS REER. GRIFFH WAS GAY, AND AT THE WEIGH- BEFORE THE FIGHT, PARET HAD TNTED HIM, LLG HIM A “MARIN,” A ROGATORY SPANISH TERM, SIAR TO “FAGGOT.” GRIFFH WAS OM THE U. S. VIRG ISLANDS, AND ALREADY STGGLED AS A BLACK MAN AMERIN, BLANCHARD SAID—AND ALONG WH THAT HE FACED THE DISCRIMATN THAT LOVG MEN BROUGHT. “I REMEMBER WHEN I WON MY FIRST GRAMMY, WHEN THEY LLED MY NAME, I LOOKED TO MY WIFE AND GAVE HER A HUG,” BLANCHARD SAID. “EE ULDN’T CELEBRATE OPENLY WH SOMEONE HE LOVED, AND WE SHOULD ALL BE WELL PAST ALL THAT KD OF TOLERANCE.”WANTG TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GRIFFH, BLANCHARD READ RON ROSS’ BGRAPHY OF HIM, NE... TEN... AND OUT! HE FOUND A QUOTE THAT STCK HIM: “I KEEP THKG HOW STRANGE IS ... I KILL A MAN AND MOST PEOPLE UNRSTAND AND FIVE ME. HOWEVER, I LOVE A MAN AND TO SO MANY PEOPLE THIS IS AN UNFIVABLE S.”TO BLANCHARD, THIS WAS TRAGILLY STILL RELEVANT. SO WHEN THE OPERA THEATER OF SAT LOUIS LLED WANTG HIM TO WRE AN OPER­A—A FIRST FOR THE MAN WHO’S DONE SR FOR ABOUT 50 MOVI, CLUDG ALL OF SPIKE LEE’S SCE 1991’S JUNGLE FEVER—HE HAD A SUBJECT MD. THEY SUGGTED SOMETHG ABOUT HURRINE KATRA, BUT BLANCHARD HAD A DIFFERENT IA—SOMETHG BASED ON GRIFFH’S LIFE.HE WROTE CHAMPN: AN OPERA JAZZ, WHICH HAS S WT COAST PREMIERE AT THE SF JAZZ CENTER (WHERE BLANCHARD IS A RINT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR) ON FEB. 19, STAGED WH A JAZZ TR, ORCHTRA, AND GOSPEL CHOS.RANDALL KLE, THE EXECUTIVE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF SF JAZZ, HAD HEARD OF GRIFFH. WHEN HE WAS A LTLE BOY, HE AND HIS BROTHERS ED TO WATCH GRIFFH BOX ON TV. KLE DIDN’T SEE THE FIGHT WHERE PARET WAS KILLED, BUT HE REMEMBERS HEARG ABOUT . “HE WAS WORLD FAMO,” KLE SAID ABOUT GRIFFH. “IT WAS NATNAL NEWS. I DIDN’T KNOW THE FULL STORY—THAT AT THE WEIGH-, HE’D LLED HIM A FAGGOT.”WATCHG GRIFFH BOX MA A BIG IMPRSN ON HIM, KLE SAYS.“HE WAS A BETIFUL GUY, THIS ELEGANT HUMAN BEG. THERE WAS THIS MAGIC THG ABOUT HIM,” KLE SAID. “IT’S A GREAT TRAGEDY THAT THIS ELEGANT MAN WHO WAS PART OF THE TOUGHT ASPECT OF OUR SOCIETY—A WORLD CHAMPN BOXER—ULDN’T BE HIMSELF. HE WAS A BLACK MAN AND AN UNRDOG, AND THEN HE WAS HANGG OUT GAY BARS AND GETTG BEATEN UP BY THUGS.”BENTT, THE BOXER WHO TRAED BLANCHARD, SAYS THAT CARIBBEAN SOCIETY IS PARTICULARLY MACHO AND HOMOPHOBIC. BENTT, WHOSE PARENTS WERE OM JAMAI, SAYS WHEN HE HEARD ABOUT GRIFFH, WAS THE NTEXT OF “THAT FUCKG FAGGOT.” HE MET HIM AT GLEASON’S GYM NEW YORK, AND SAID GRIFFH WAS HELPFUL AND OPEN, OFFERG HIM TIPS ON FIGHTG. BENTT ME TO ADMIRE GRIFFH FOR LIVG HIS LIFE HIS OWN WAY.“THE OLR I GOT, THE MORE I WAS LIKE, ‘THAT WAS REALLY BOLD OF THIS GUY, MAN,’” HE SAID. “I THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPRSIVE AND VERY URAGEO. HE WAS BLACK AND AN IMMIGRANT, SO HE WAS ALREADY AN OUTSIR. HE ACCEPTED HIS ATTRACTN TO MEN. I THK FUELED HIM—BOXERS FIGHT BEE THEY’RE VICTIMS AT SOME POT THEIR LIV. EE WAS HIGHLY SENSIVE, AND TO HAVE ED THE ATH OF ANOTHER FIGHTER—THAT HNTED HIM THE RT OF HIS LIFE.”GRIFFH DREAMED ABOUT PARET AND WOULD SEE AN IMAGE OF HIM THE MIRROR WHEN HE WAS SHAVG, ROSS, A FORMER BOXER WHO WROTE GRIFFH’S BGRAPHY, SAID. ROSS ADD THAT GRIFFH WAS TURNED AWAY WHEN HE TRIED TO VIS PARET THE HOSPAL.ROSS, WHO LIVED NEAR GRIFFH ON LONG ISLAND, SAYS WHEN HE WAS WRG THE BOOK, THE TWO BEME GOOD IENDS, WH GRIFFH G BY HIS HOE AND PLAYG RDS WH HIS CHILDREN, NOW GROWN.ROSS WAS ALSO AT THE ’62 BOUT AT MADISON SQUARE GARN WHEN GRIFFH RNERED PARET THE LAST ROUND, HTG HIM UNTIL HE SLID DOWN THE ROP ONTO THE FLOOR, AND HE REMEMBERS WELL.“IT WAS A TERRIBLE SCENE TO OBSERVE,” HE SAID. “I KNEW BENNY WAS BADLY HURT, AND TO SEE HIM ON THE NVAS LIKE THAT WAS AWFUL. THE CROWD WAS SHOCKED, WAG TO SEE IF BENNY WAS GOG TO GET UP. THEY WENT SILENT. IT REALLY AFFECTED BOXG. THEY TALKED ABOUT BANNG FOR A WHILE, AND THEY KEPT OFF TV FOR A LONG TIME AFTER THAT.”GRIFFH TOLD ROSS THAT HE MEANT TO KNOCK PARET OUT, BUT NEVER WANTED TO PERMANENTLY HURT HIM. AFTER PARET’S ATH, GRIFFH STOPPED FIGHTG FOR A WHILE. RECEIVG LETTERS OM OTHERS, SUCH AS TCK DRIVERS, WHO HAD ACCINTALLY KILLED SOMEONE, HELPED HIM ENORMOLY, AND HE WENT BACK TO THE SPORT, RETIRG 1977.NILE PAIEMENT, THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF OPERA PARALLèLE, WHICH IS LLABORATG ON CHAMPN WH SF JAZZ, SAYS GRIFFH’S STORY IS PERFECT FOR OPERA, WHERE N ENTHRALL DIENC, AND NOT TIMIDATE THEM WH THE MIL LANGUAGE.FOR BLANCHARD, GRIFFH’S STORY IS UNIVERSAL BEE ALS WH BEG MISUNRSTOOD AND JUDGED.“LOOK AT THE YOUNG AIN AMERIN MEN GETTG KILLED BY THE POLICE, JUDGED SOLELY ON THE LOR OF THEIR SK,” HE SAID. “LOOK AT WOMEN STILL BEG JUDGED ON THEIR GENR AND ALG WH A PAY EQUY GAP.”CHAMPN EXAM HOW HUMAN BEGS TREAT EACH OTHER, SAYS BENTT, WHO IS NOW AN ACTOR.“IT’S POIGNANT MATERIAL AND RELEVANT BEE STILL HAPPENS—WE GET LABELED EVERY DAY, AND TOLD WHAT WE SHOULD HATE AND LOVE,” HE SAID. “EE HAD TO FIGHT THAT JOURNEY BY HIMSELF. JUDGMENT MAK FEEL BETTER ABOUT OURSELV, AND THAT’S WHAT THE OPERA GETS ACROSS SO BRILLIANTLY. IT POTS A FGER AT .” EY WILSON
• ORLANDO CZ: THE GAY BOXER WHO IS BREAKG BARRIERS
• ATRALIAN FIGHTS HOMOPHOBIA WH WORLD GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPS
• MART STARK ON ANISG WORLD'S FIRST GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPS AND PLANS TO 'DISPT' DISCRIMATN
• WHY THIS ATRALIAN WANTS TO LNCH THE WORLD GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPSBOXG HAS LONG HAD THE STEREOTYPE OF BEG A ROUGH, MACHO AND ABRASIVE SPORT. BUT FOR MEMBERS OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY SUCH AS MART STARK, 'S SOMETHG THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE FOR EVERYONE, REGARDLS OF SEXUALY OR GENR INTY.WORLD GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPS DIRECTOR MART STARK. SOURCE: SBS NEWSIT'S NOT A SURPRISE THAT MART STARK HAS THE NATE SPIR OF A FIGHTER.HE'S FT ON HIS FEET WH THE GLOV ON AS HE SPARS WH HIS TRAER AT THE F FIGHTERS CLUB SYDNEY'S BONDI JUNCTN. BUT THE OPENLY GAY AMATR BOXER'S BIGGT FIGHT HAS BEEN OUT OF THE RG, TENSIVE RE WARDS. STARK HAS ADDISON’S DISEASE, AN TOIMMUNE NDN THAT'S LED TO MULTIPLE HEALTH SR, CLUDG PANCREATIS, LLAPSED LUNGS, A TRACHEOSTOMY, AND TWO DUCED AS.FOLLOWG A FOUR-MONTH HOSPAL STAY 2006, HE HAD ANOTHER NEAR-ATH EXPERIENCE AT THE END OF 2017, WHICH LEFT HIM TRMATISED.MART STARK HOSPAL 2017 SOURCE: SUPPLIED/MART STARKBUT THE ORAL ALSO LED TO HIM PICKG UP THE GLOV FOR THE FIRST TIME 2018.“AS A WAY OF REALLY BATG THE POST-TRMATIC STRS DISORR, I HAD A FEW SELF-FENCE CLASS. THE SEND CLASS JT HAPPENED TO BE BOXG,” HE SAID.HAVG ONCE VIEWED AS “BARBARIC”, STARK NOW CREDS THE SPORT WH HELPG HIS PHYSIL AND MENTAL REVERY.BUT AS A GAY MAN, 'S THE AFFIRMG MUNY AROUND THE SPORT THAT'S REALLY HELPED SPIRE HIM.  “I'VE FOUND BOXG VERY CLIVE AND WELG,” HE SAID."I THK THERE'S A LOT OF FOC ON THE ELE SPORT, THE PROFSNAL SPORT. BUT REALLY SPORT IS ABOUT THAT GRASSROOTS MUNY AMATR LEVEL, AND I SAY BOXG IS ABSOLUTELY THRIVG AND WE HAVE PEOPLE PASSNATE TO WANT TO GET VOLVED THE SPORT AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE."STARK HAD ASPIRATNS TO PETE AT THE NEXT GAY GAM, SCHLED TO BE HELD HONG KONG 2023, BUT WAS LEFT DISAPPOTED WHEN BOXG WAS DROPPED OM THE LP.SO HE STEAD BEGAN WORK PLANNG THE WORLD GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPS, A TOURNAMENT SIGNED TO SHOWSE THE SPORT AS WELG TO ALL GENRS AND SEXUALI, WH THE AIM OF GROWG S POPULARY THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY."WHAT I WANT TO DO IS JT SHOW THAT LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE AND THEIR ALLI BELONG THE RG AND N BE WORLD BOXG CHAMPNS, N BE OLYMPIC CHAMPNS, AND N BE VOLVED THE SPORT WHICH I LOVE,” STARK SAID.MART STARK WH THE BOARD OF THE WORLD GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPS. SOURCE: SUPPLIED/MART STARKWH THE HELP AND SUPPORT OF LLEAGU, THE WGBC IS NOW SET UP AS A NOT-FOR-PROF ANISATN WH A BOARD OF DIRECTORS.THE GROUP HAS THE BACKG OF ERNG BODI ATRALIA AND ACROSS THE WORLD, AND HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY WORLD BOXG COUNCIL PRINT MRIC SULAIMáN AND BCE SILVERGLAD, THE OWNER OF THE HISTORIC GLEASON'S GYM NEW YORK, WHERE MUHAMMAD ALI ONCE TRAED.MORE THAN 70 PETORS OM AROUND THE WORLD HAVE EXPRSED TERT TAKG PART THE EVENT, WH THE FIRST MEET LOCKED FEBARY 2023 AT SYDNEY'S RANDWICK RACEURSE, CIDG WH THE CY HOSTG THE WORLD PRI EVENT.AND STARK EXPECTS TO BE JT AS LOURFUL, FLAMBOYANT, GLTERY AND PROUD AS THE LIK OF MARDI GRAS. “LGBTQ+ PEOPLE PUT ON THE BT EVENTS ON THE PLA. IMAGE WHAT WE’RE GOG TO DO WH BOXG!”CONQUERG ANXIETYONE OF THE FIGHTERS HOPG TO STEP TO THE RG AT THE 2023 WGBC EVENT, SHN JABS ACROSS AS A SOFTLY SPOKEN, GENTLE FIGURE.BUT AS SOON AS THE GLOV E ON, HE’S AN TIMIDATG FORCE WH PLENTY OF PUNCH BEHD HIS HOOKS.LIKE STARK, JABS IS A RECENT VOTEE OF BOXG, PICKG UP THE DISCIPLE TO HELP OVERE HIS FEELGS OF SOCIAL ANXIETY AND PRSN."BOXG BROUGHT ME OUT OF MY SHELL AND ACTUALLY MA ME MORE NFINT. BEE IS SUCH A SOMETIM -YOUR-FACE SPORT, YOU HAVE TO KD OF STEP OUTSI YOUR FORT ZONE,” HE SAID."IT PH ME TO MY LIMS, BUT A GOOD WAY."SHN JABS AT THE CORPORATE FIGHTER GYM SURRY HILLS SOURCE: SBS NEWSJABS GREW UP THE ASTAL TOWN OF GISBORNE ON NEW ZEALAND’S NORTH ISLAND, WHERE HE ADMS HE WASN’T FORTABLE BEG OUT UNTIL HE MOVED AWAY.BUT NOW LIVG PROUDLY AS A GAY MAN, HE’S FOUND SOME OF HIS BIGGT SUPPORT THE BOXG RG HAS E OM HIS HOMETOWN.“IT JT SHOWS THAT THERE ACTUALLY WAS LOVG SUPPORT THERE THE WHOLE TIME,” HE SAID.“LAST TIME I WENT BACK, PEOPLE STOPPED ME THE STREET TO SAY THEY WATCHED THE FIGHT, WHICH WAS A REAL NICE THG, AND JT SHOWS THAT YOU’RE A LOT MORE ACCEPTED THE MUNY [THAN YOU MAY THK].”JABS IS NOW TRAG TWICE A DAY AT THE CORPORATE FIGHTERS CLUB SYDNEY'S SURRY HILLS, AHEAD OF ANOTHER BOUT DECEMBER, WHERE HE’LL BE RAISG FUNDS FOR BEYONDBLUE AND THE WGBC.SHN JABS THE RG DURG HIS LAST BOUT. SOURCE: SUPPLIED/SHN JABSTHE 33-YEAR-OLD SAID HIS OWN EXPERIENC THE BOXG MUNY HAVE BEEN POSIVE, FDG AN OPEN AND ACCEPTG ENVIRONMENT AT HIS CLUB.BUT HE ADMS FOR MANY OTHERS THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY THE SPORT - DOMATED AT THE ELE LEVEL BY A MACHO, ABRASIVE CULTURE - N SEEM TIMIDATG.“I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE AREN'T TOO MANY GAY BOXERS OUT THERE JT BEE OF THE FEAR OF JOG SUCH A WHAT IS SCRIBED AS A MASCULE SPORT. I THK THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGT BARRIER,” HE SAID.“A LOT OF MY IENDS HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME AND OTHER PEOPLE THE MUNY, WANTG TO JO BOXG, BUT ARE TOO SRED TO TAKE THAT FIRST STEP.”HE'S NOW GOT PLANS TO START A LOL CLUB AS A SAFE AND WELG SPACE FOR LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE AND THEIR ALLI.“WE'RE HOPG JT TO GET MORE PEOPLE EVEN, YOU KNOW, TO DO A CLASS ON THE SPORT, JT TO SEE THAT IS NOT AS SRY AS WHAT IS PUT OUT THERE SOMETIM."CHANGG ATTUSACROSS ELE MEN’S SPORT, THERE ARE STILL ONLY A HANDFUL OF ATHLET WHO HAVE BEEN OPEN ABOUT INTIFYG AS BEG PART OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY, AND FEWER STILL WHO HAVE FELT FORTABLE DISCLOSG SUCH TAILS OF THEIR PERSONAL LIV WHILE ACTIVELY PETG ON THE FIELD.BUT THERE IS EVINCE THAT IS SLOWLY BEG EASIER TO BE OPEN.WHEN ATRALIAN FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO ME OUT AS THE FIRST OPENLY-GAY ACTIVE MALE FOOTBALLER LAST MONTH, HE RECEIVED WISPREAD SUPPORT OM AROUND THE WORLD.READ MOREHOW LGBTQI+ AFL FANS HAVE BAND TOGETHER TO CREATE A WORK OF PRI GROUPSOTHER ATHLET ARE ALSO CREASGLY SHOWG THEIR SUPPORT AS ALLI TO THE MUNY."I THK HEARTS AND MDS ARE CHANGG. THERE’S BEEN MORE VISIBLE ALLYSHIP, THANKFULLY … WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF THAT,” STARK SAID.“[BUT] THERE ARE STILL HIGH LEVELS OF HOMOPHOBIA AND RACISM SPORT, PECIALLY ON SOCIAL MEDIA.”COMBATG THAT, HE SAID, REQUIR A “REAL FOC” ON CHANGG ATTUS AT THE GRASSROOTS AMATR LEVEL, “BEE THAT'S WHERE THE REAL CHANGE HAPPENS.”“ONCE WE START MAKG THOSE DIFFERENC, WE’RE GOG TO SEE MORE [SUPPORT] AT THE ELE LEVEL,” HE SAID.SHARE6 M READPUBLISHED 15 NOVEMBER 2021 9:28AMBY NAVEEN RAZIKSOURCE: SBS NEWSTAGSSPORTATRALIASHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHARETOPICS

ATRALIAN FIGHTS HOMOPHOBIA SPORT WH WORLD GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPS

The world’s first LGBTQ+ boxg tournament is set to be staged Sydney after the natn’s erng body threw s support behd the Atralia has endorsed efforts by World Gay Boxg Champnships (WGBC), a not-for-prof found by lol boxer Mart Stark to build clivy and bat homophobia and transphobia the sport, to lnch the first such LGBTQ+-iendly, who has lived wh Addison’s disease sce 2006, took up boxg two years ago while learng self-fence at his lol martial arts centre. He planned to pete at the 2022 Gay Gam but, when boxg was taken off the list, sought to fill the gap himself by lnchg an LGBTQ+ tournament, followg the steps of other non-profsnal gay sports.

We have hosted the Gay Gam, the Sydney Convicts have won the Bgham Cup (a global LGBTQ+ gby unn tournament) several tim, and we’ve hosted the Bgham Cup. Atralia’s amatr gay boxg muny is the start-up stage.

”Homophobia sport is still a global a 2015 study, iated by the Bgham Cup and a aln of other sportg anisatns, 80% of rponnts said they had wnsed or experienced homophobia sport and 75% believed an openly gay person would not be safe as a spectator at a sportg event.

THIS GAY BOXER FACED ATH TWICE, AND ME OUT SWGG ON THE OTHER SI

Rearch released Augt found the e of homophobic language is drastilly rced at sportg clubs which engage pri gam, provg diversy-themed events n have a posive sanctng the champnships, Boxg Atralia pledged a statement to “assist wh the velopment of the boxg program, givg nsiratn to people new to boxg and experienced boxers enablg straight, gay, lbian, bisexual, trans, genr diverse, tersex and non-bary people to safely participate”.

FROM TROYE SIVAN TO PADAM PADAM: ATRALIA IS S GAY ERA AND THE WORLD SHOULD THANK

Through his journey boxg, Stark has e to anize the World Gay Boxg Champnships (WGBC), the world’s first LGBTQI+ boxg tournament, which will be held Sydney 2023. As well as troducg the sport to a whole new dience, Stark hop that the WGBC n “dispt homophobia, transphobia, hatred sport. “And I thk that’s where my whole spir of clivy om – bee of what other people have achieved and for me, my anizatn, we’re very much around the grassroots and amatr level, but we want to dispt homophobia, transphobia, hatred sport.

He remembers llg himself “the future world gay boxg champn” as a joke. He did have dreams of boxg at the 2022 Gay Gam, but the sport was elimated om the upg gam – postponed until 2023 bee of the ronavis panmic.

“There have been very few out profsnal gay male boxers who have won major champnships, ” he explaed.

GAY BOXER PROPOS TO BOYIEND AFTER WNG HIS FIRST MATCH

Like the Bgham Cup – a biennial, ternatnal, non-profsnal, gay gby unn tournament – he hop that the WGBC n enurage young members of the LGBTQI+ muny wh an tert boxg to try the sport. But as well as enuragg engagement wh the sweet science, Stark hop he n have an effect on stoppg homophobia and transphobia sport.

THE WORLD GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPS LOOK TO ‘DISPT’ HOMOPHOBIA SPORTS

Acrdg to one study, 80 percent of the more than 12, 000 participants om across the world have wnsed or experienced homophobia sports.

JAGUARS NFL ACH OUT AS GAY US SPORTS FIRST

The study also found that 78 percent of the participants believed that an openly gay person would not be very safe as a spectator at a sportg event.

ATRALIAN FIGHTS HOMOPHOBIA WH WORLD GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPS

“The reason I set up the anizatn, I want [homophobia, transphobia, etc. On this week’s edn of Outsports’ “The Sports Kiki, ” I spoke wh Stark about his spirg journey, and visn for his groundbreakg event, the World Gay Boxg Champnships. That’s the kd of experience Stark wants to provi 200-some-odd athlet at the World Gay Boxg Champnships.

KILLER PUNCH OF A SECRETLY GAY BOXERHARD HITTINGWORLD CHAMPN BOXER EE GRIFFH ACCINTALLY KILLED BENNY PARET, HIS OPPONENT A 1962 BOUT. GRIFFH WAS ALSO BLACK AND THE CLOSET—A NEW OPERA EXPLOR HIS DRAMATIC LIFE.EY WILSONUPDATED JUL. 12, 2017 6:31PM EDT / PUBLISHED FEB. 18, 2016 12:01AM EST CHARL HOFF/NY DAILY NEWS ARCHIVE VIA GETTY IMAGJAZZ TMPETER, BANDLEAR, AND POSER TERENCE BLANCHARD TOOK UP BOXG HIS 30S. HE SE LOTS OF PARALLELS BETWEEN BOXG AND JAZZ—THE LIMED REPERTOIRE, THE ART TO , AND IMPROVISG.WHEN BLANCHARD’S BOXG TRAER, FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPN MICHAEL BENTT, TOLD HIM ABOUT EE GRIFFH, BLANCHARD WAS PTIVATED BY THE STORY OF THE WORLD WELTER- AND MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPN WHO ACCINTALLY KILLED AN OPPONENT, BENNY PARET, THE RG DURG A 1962 MATCH, HTG HIM 17 TIM THE LAST ROUND. PARET WENT TO THE HOSPAL A A AND DIED 10 DAYS LATER.THE CINT HNTED GRIFFH, BEG A FG MOMENT HIS REER. GRIFFH WAS GAY, AND AT THE WEIGH- BEFORE THE FIGHT, PARET HAD TNTED HIM, LLG HIM A “MARIN,” A ROGATORY SPANISH TERM, SIAR TO “FAGGOT.” GRIFFH WAS OM THE U. S. VIRG ISLANDS, AND ALREADY STGGLED AS A BLACK MAN AMERIN, BLANCHARD SAID—AND ALONG WH THAT HE FACED THE DISCRIMATN THAT LOVG MEN BROUGHT. “I REMEMBER WHEN I WON MY FIRST GRAMMY, WHEN THEY LLED MY NAME, I LOOKED TO MY WIFE AND GAVE HER A HUG,” BLANCHARD SAID. “EE ULDN’T CELEBRATE OPENLY WH SOMEONE HE LOVED, AND WE SHOULD ALL BE WELL PAST ALL THAT KD OF TOLERANCE.”WANTG TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GRIFFH, BLANCHARD READ RON ROSS’ BGRAPHY OF HIM, NE... TEN... AND OUT! HE FOUND A QUOTE THAT STCK HIM: “I KEEP THKG HOW STRANGE IS ... I KILL A MAN AND MOST PEOPLE UNRSTAND AND FIVE ME. HOWEVER, I LOVE A MAN AND TO SO MANY PEOPLE THIS IS AN UNFIVABLE S.”TO BLANCHARD, THIS WAS TRAGILLY STILL RELEVANT. SO WHEN THE OPERA THEATER OF SAT LOUIS LLED WANTG HIM TO WRE AN OPER­A—A FIRST FOR THE MAN WHO’S DONE SR FOR ABOUT 50 MOVI, CLUDG ALL OF SPIKE LEE’S SCE 1991’S JUNGLE FEVER—HE HAD A SUBJECT MD. THEY SUGGTED SOMETHG ABOUT HURRINE KATRA, BUT BLANCHARD HAD A DIFFERENT IA—SOMETHG BASED ON GRIFFH’S LIFE.HE WROTE CHAMPN: AN OPERA JAZZ, WHICH HAS S WT COAST PREMIERE AT THE SF JAZZ CENTER (WHERE BLANCHARD IS A RINT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR) ON FEB. 19, STAGED WH A JAZZ TR, ORCHTRA, AND GOSPEL CHOS.RANDALL KLE, THE EXECUTIVE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF SF JAZZ, HAD HEARD OF GRIFFH. WHEN HE WAS A LTLE BOY, HE AND HIS BROTHERS ED TO WATCH GRIFFH BOX ON TV. KLE DIDN’T SEE THE FIGHT WHERE PARET WAS KILLED, BUT HE REMEMBERS HEARG ABOUT . “HE WAS WORLD FAMO,” KLE SAID ABOUT GRIFFH. “IT WAS NATNAL NEWS. I DIDN’T KNOW THE FULL STORY—THAT AT THE WEIGH-, HE’D LLED HIM A FAGGOT.”WATCHG GRIFFH BOX MA A BIG IMPRSN ON HIM, KLE SAYS.“HE WAS A BETIFUL GUY, THIS ELEGANT HUMAN BEG. THERE WAS THIS MAGIC THG ABOUT HIM,” KLE SAID. “IT’S A GREAT TRAGEDY THAT THIS ELEGANT MAN WHO WAS PART OF THE TOUGHT ASPECT OF OUR SOCIETY—A WORLD CHAMPN BOXER—ULDN’T BE HIMSELF. HE WAS A BLACK MAN AND AN UNRDOG, AND THEN HE WAS HANGG OUT GAY BARS AND GETTG BEATEN UP BY THUGS.”BENTT, THE BOXER WHO TRAED BLANCHARD, SAYS THAT CARIBBEAN SOCIETY IS PARTICULARLY MACHO AND HOMOPHOBIC. BENTT, WHOSE PARENTS WERE OM JAMAI, SAYS WHEN HE HEARD ABOUT GRIFFH, WAS THE NTEXT OF “THAT FUCKG FAGGOT.” HE MET HIM AT GLEASON’S GYM NEW YORK, AND SAID GRIFFH WAS HELPFUL AND OPEN, OFFERG HIM TIPS ON FIGHTG. BENTT ME TO ADMIRE GRIFFH FOR LIVG HIS LIFE HIS OWN WAY.“THE OLR I GOT, THE MORE I WAS LIKE, ‘THAT WAS REALLY BOLD OF THIS GUY, MAN,’” HE SAID. “I THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPRSIVE AND VERY URAGEO. HE WAS BLACK AND AN IMMIGRANT, SO HE WAS ALREADY AN OUTSIR. HE ACCEPTED HIS ATTRACTN TO MEN. I THK FUELED HIM—BOXERS FIGHT BEE THEY’RE VICTIMS AT SOME POT THEIR LIV. EE WAS HIGHLY SENSIVE, AND TO HAVE ED THE ATH OF ANOTHER FIGHTER—THAT HNTED HIM THE RT OF HIS LIFE.”GRIFFH DREAMED ABOUT PARET AND WOULD SEE AN IMAGE OF HIM THE MIRROR WHEN HE WAS SHAVG, ROSS, A FORMER BOXER WHO WROTE GRIFFH’S BGRAPHY, SAID. ROSS ADD THAT GRIFFH WAS TURNED AWAY WHEN HE TRIED TO VIS PARET THE HOSPAL.ROSS, WHO LIVED NEAR GRIFFH ON LONG ISLAND, SAYS WHEN HE WAS WRG THE BOOK, THE TWO BEME GOOD IENDS, WH GRIFFH G BY HIS HOE AND PLAYG RDS WH HIS CHILDREN, NOW GROWN.ROSS WAS ALSO AT THE ’62 BOUT AT MADISON SQUARE GARN WHEN GRIFFH RNERED PARET THE LAST ROUND, HTG HIM UNTIL HE SLID DOWN THE ROP ONTO THE FLOOR, AND HE REMEMBERS WELL.“IT WAS A TERRIBLE SCENE TO OBSERVE,” HE SAID. “I KNEW BENNY WAS BADLY HURT, AND TO SEE HIM ON THE NVAS LIKE THAT WAS AWFUL. THE CROWD WAS SHOCKED, WAG TO SEE IF BENNY WAS GOG TO GET UP. THEY WENT SILENT. IT REALLY AFFECTED BOXG. THEY TALKED ABOUT BANNG FOR A WHILE, AND THEY KEPT OFF TV FOR A LONG TIME AFTER THAT.”GRIFFH TOLD ROSS THAT HE MEANT TO KNOCK PARET OUT, BUT NEVER WANTED TO PERMANENTLY HURT HIM. AFTER PARET’S ATH, GRIFFH STOPPED FIGHTG FOR A WHILE. RECEIVG LETTERS OM OTHERS, SUCH AS TCK DRIVERS, WHO HAD ACCINTALLY KILLED SOMEONE, HELPED HIM ENORMOLY, AND HE WENT BACK TO THE SPORT, RETIRG 1977.NILE PAIEMENT, THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF OPERA PARALLèLE, WHICH IS LLABORATG ON CHAMPN WH SF JAZZ, SAYS GRIFFH’S STORY IS PERFECT FOR OPERA, WHERE N ENTHRALL DIENC, AND NOT TIMIDATE THEM WH THE MIL LANGUAGE.FOR BLANCHARD, GRIFFH’S STORY IS UNIVERSAL BEE ALS WH BEG MISUNRSTOOD AND JUDGED.“LOOK AT THE YOUNG AIN AMERIN MEN GETTG KILLED BY THE POLICE, JUDGED SOLELY ON THE LOR OF THEIR SK,” HE SAID. “LOOK AT WOMEN STILL BEG JUDGED ON THEIR GENR AND ALG WH A PAY EQUY GAP.”CHAMPN EXAM HOW HUMAN BEGS TREAT EACH OTHER, SAYS BENTT, WHO IS NOW AN ACTOR.“IT’S POIGNANT MATERIAL AND RELEVANT BEE STILL HAPPENS—WE GET LABELED EVERY DAY, AND TOLD WHAT WE SHOULD HATE AND LOVE,” HE SAID. “EE HAD TO FIGHT THAT JOURNEY BY HIMSELF. JUDGMENT MAK FEEL BETTER ABOUT OURSELV, AND THAT’S WHAT THE OPERA GETS ACROSS SO BRILLIANTLY. IT POTS A FGER AT .” EY WILSON

Why don’t I create an anizatn lled the World Gay Boxg Champnships and hold a tournament for the LGBTQIA+ muny and our alli, and really dispt homophobia, transphobia, and brg the boxg muny together for the love of the sport.

As well, many succsful boxers e om margalized groups racially or enomilly, so the risk to their standg om homophobic abe simply has no impact on them.

ORLANDO CZ: THE GAY BOXER WHO IS BREAKG BARRIERS

The World Gay Boxg Champnships, anized by Atralian boxer Mart Stark, will premiere at the 2022 World Pri Sydney, Atralia. Atralia is s gay era: a time when all the arne and uy machatns of the untry une to discharge a torrent of queerns upon the world.

ATRALIAN FIGHTS HOMOPHOBIA WH WORLD GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPS

Jt sayg — Mch Feltscheer (@mchfel) July 13, 2023The cleart harbger of this era is the double whammy of gay pop that Atralia has produced recent months. It is pure gay smut: a paean to poppers spired, per his own admissn, by the sweaty clubs of Melbourne’s Smh Street.

MART STARK ON ANISG WORLD'S FIRST GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPS AND PLANS TO 'DISPT' DISCRIMATN

It is, perhaps, the bt fence of twk Rh is merely a chaser to that other tentpole of gay Atraliana: Kylie Mogue, whose sgle Padam Padam skyrocketed to the top 10 of the UK charts last month and has (mostly) stayed there sce. But hear me out: this current era is by far Atralia’s gayt. )Sce Bartlett, the gay Atralian agenda has been full swg.

How lucky we are to be livg through the entire spectm of queer all, evably, serv as a precursor to Sydney WorldPri – that 17-day party earlier this year rponsible for the stctn of every gay person’s sleepg habs. This current gay era may live and die, but Progrs Shark is forever. Public Gallery | Home > gary vangar > Sports and Hobbi > Gay Boxers Boxg Photos GalleryGay Boxers Boxg Photos Gallery of boxg buddi om Album by gary vangar.

WHY THIS ATRALIAN WANTS TO LNCH THE WORLD GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPSBOXG HAS LONG HAD THE STEREOTYPE OF BEG A ROUGH, MACHO AND ABRASIVE SPORT. BUT FOR MEMBERS OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY SUCH AS MART STARK, 'S SOMETHG THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE FOR EVERYONE, REGARDLS OF SEXUALY OR GENR INTY.WORLD GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPS DIRECTOR MART STARK. SOURCE: SBS NEWSIT'S NOT A SURPRISE THAT MART STARK HAS THE NATE SPIR OF A FIGHTER.HE'S FT ON HIS FEET WH THE GLOV ON AS HE SPARS WH HIS TRAER AT THE F FIGHTERS CLUB SYDNEY'S BONDI JUNCTN. BUT THE OPENLY GAY AMATR BOXER'S BIGGT FIGHT HAS BEEN OUT OF THE RG, TENSIVE RE WARDS. STARK HAS ADDISON’S DISEASE, AN TOIMMUNE NDN THAT'S LED TO MULTIPLE HEALTH SR, CLUDG PANCREATIS, LLAPSED LUNGS, A TRACHEOSTOMY, AND TWO DUCED AS.FOLLOWG A FOUR-MONTH HOSPAL STAY 2006, HE HAD ANOTHER NEAR-ATH EXPERIENCE AT THE END OF 2017, WHICH LEFT HIM TRMATISED.MART STARK HOSPAL 2017 SOURCE: SUPPLIED/MART STARKBUT THE ORAL ALSO LED TO HIM PICKG UP THE GLOV FOR THE FIRST TIME 2018.“AS A WAY OF REALLY BATG THE POST-TRMATIC STRS DISORR, I HAD A FEW SELF-FENCE CLASS. THE SEND CLASS JT HAPPENED TO BE BOXG,” HE SAID.HAVG ONCE VIEWED AS “BARBARIC”, STARK NOW CREDS THE SPORT WH HELPG HIS PHYSIL AND MENTAL REVERY.BUT AS A GAY MAN, 'S THE AFFIRMG MUNY AROUND THE SPORT THAT'S REALLY HELPED SPIRE HIM.  “I'VE FOUND BOXG VERY CLIVE AND WELG,” HE SAID."I THK THERE'S A LOT OF FOC ON THE ELE SPORT, THE PROFSNAL SPORT. BUT REALLY SPORT IS ABOUT THAT GRASSROOTS MUNY AMATR LEVEL, AND I SAY BOXG IS ABSOLUTELY THRIVG AND WE HAVE PEOPLE PASSNATE TO WANT TO GET VOLVED THE SPORT AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE."STARK HAD ASPIRATNS TO PETE AT THE NEXT GAY GAM, SCHLED TO BE HELD HONG KONG 2023, BUT WAS LEFT DISAPPOTED WHEN BOXG WAS DROPPED OM THE LP.SO HE STEAD BEGAN WORK PLANNG THE WORLD GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPS, A TOURNAMENT SIGNED TO SHOWSE THE SPORT AS WELG TO ALL GENRS AND SEXUALI, WH THE AIM OF GROWG S POPULARY THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY."WHAT I WANT TO DO IS JT SHOW THAT LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE AND THEIR ALLI BELONG THE RG AND N BE WORLD BOXG CHAMPNS, N BE OLYMPIC CHAMPNS, AND N BE VOLVED THE SPORT WHICH I LOVE,” STARK SAID.MART STARK WH THE BOARD OF THE WORLD GAY BOXG CHAMPNSHIPS. SOURCE: SUPPLIED/MART STARKWH THE HELP AND SUPPORT OF LLEAGU, THE WGBC IS NOW SET UP AS A NOT-FOR-PROF ANISATN WH A BOARD OF DIRECTORS.THE GROUP HAS THE BACKG OF ERNG BODI ATRALIA AND ACROSS THE WORLD, AND HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY WORLD BOXG COUNCIL PRINT MRIC SULAIMáN AND BCE SILVERGLAD, THE OWNER OF THE HISTORIC GLEASON'S GYM NEW YORK, WHERE MUHAMMAD ALI ONCE TRAED.MORE THAN 70 PETORS OM AROUND THE WORLD HAVE EXPRSED TERT TAKG PART THE EVENT, WH THE FIRST MEET LOCKED FEBARY 2023 AT SYDNEY'S RANDWICK RACEURSE, CIDG WH THE CY HOSTG THE WORLD PRI EVENT.AND STARK EXPECTS TO BE JT AS LOURFUL, FLAMBOYANT, GLTERY AND PROUD AS THE LIK OF MARDI GRAS. “LGBTQ+ PEOPLE PUT ON THE BT EVENTS ON THE PLA. IMAGE WHAT WE’RE GOG TO DO WH BOXG!”CONQUERG ANXIETYONE OF THE FIGHTERS HOPG TO STEP TO THE RG AT THE 2023 WGBC EVENT, SHN JABS ACROSS AS A SOFTLY SPOKEN, GENTLE FIGURE.BUT AS SOON AS THE GLOV E ON, HE’S AN TIMIDATG FORCE WH PLENTY OF PUNCH BEHD HIS HOOKS.LIKE STARK, JABS IS A RECENT VOTEE OF BOXG, PICKG UP THE DISCIPLE TO HELP OVERE HIS FEELGS OF SOCIAL ANXIETY AND PRSN."BOXG BROUGHT ME OUT OF MY SHELL AND ACTUALLY MA ME MORE NFINT. BEE IS SUCH A SOMETIM -YOUR-FACE SPORT, YOU HAVE TO KD OF STEP OUTSI YOUR FORT ZONE,” HE SAID."IT PH ME TO MY LIMS, BUT A GOOD WAY."SHN JABS AT THE CORPORATE FIGHTER GYM SURRY HILLS SOURCE: SBS NEWSJABS GREW UP THE ASTAL TOWN OF GISBORNE ON NEW ZEALAND’S NORTH ISLAND, WHERE HE ADMS HE WASN’T FORTABLE BEG OUT UNTIL HE MOVED AWAY.BUT NOW LIVG PROUDLY AS A GAY MAN, HE’S FOUND SOME OF HIS BIGGT SUPPORT THE BOXG RG HAS E OM HIS HOMETOWN.“IT JT SHOWS THAT THERE ACTUALLY WAS LOVG SUPPORT THERE THE WHOLE TIME,” HE SAID.“LAST TIME I WENT BACK, PEOPLE STOPPED ME THE STREET TO SAY THEY WATCHED THE FIGHT, WHICH WAS A REAL NICE THG, AND JT SHOWS THAT YOU’RE A LOT MORE ACCEPTED THE MUNY [THAN YOU MAY THK].”JABS IS NOW TRAG TWICE A DAY AT THE CORPORATE FIGHTERS CLUB SYDNEY'S SURRY HILLS, AHEAD OF ANOTHER BOUT DECEMBER, WHERE HE’LL BE RAISG FUNDS FOR BEYONDBLUE AND THE WGBC.SHN JABS THE RG DURG HIS LAST BOUT. SOURCE: SUPPLIED/SHN JABSTHE 33-YEAR-OLD SAID HIS OWN EXPERIENC THE BOXG MUNY HAVE BEEN POSIVE, FDG AN OPEN AND ACCEPTG ENVIRONMENT AT HIS CLUB.BUT HE ADMS FOR MANY OTHERS THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY THE SPORT - DOMATED AT THE ELE LEVEL BY A MACHO, ABRASIVE CULTURE - N SEEM TIMIDATG.“I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE AREN'T TOO MANY GAY BOXERS OUT THERE JT BEE OF THE FEAR OF JOG SUCH A WHAT IS SCRIBED AS A MASCULE SPORT. I THK THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGT BARRIER,” HE SAID.“A LOT OF MY IENDS HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME AND OTHER PEOPLE THE MUNY, WANTG TO JO BOXG, BUT ARE TOO SRED TO TAKE THAT FIRST STEP.”HE'S NOW GOT PLANS TO START A LOL CLUB AS A SAFE AND WELG SPACE FOR LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE AND THEIR ALLI.“WE'RE HOPG JT TO GET MORE PEOPLE EVEN, YOU KNOW, TO DO A CLASS ON THE SPORT, JT TO SEE THAT IS NOT AS SRY AS WHAT IS PUT OUT THERE SOMETIM."CHANGG ATTUSACROSS ELE MEN’S SPORT, THERE ARE STILL ONLY A HANDFUL OF ATHLET WHO HAVE BEEN OPEN ABOUT INTIFYG AS BEG PART OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY, AND FEWER STILL WHO HAVE FELT FORTABLE DISCLOSG SUCH TAILS OF THEIR PERSONAL LIV WHILE ACTIVELY PETG ON THE FIELD.BUT THERE IS EVINCE THAT IS SLOWLY BEG EASIER TO BE OPEN.WHEN ATRALIAN FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO ME OUT AS THE FIRST OPENLY-GAY ACTIVE MALE FOOTBALLER LAST MONTH, HE RECEIVED WISPREAD SUPPORT OM AROUND THE WORLD.READ MOREHOW LGBTQI+ AFL FANS HAVE BAND TOGETHER TO CREATE A WORK OF PRI GROUPSOTHER ATHLET ARE ALSO CREASGLY SHOWG THEIR SUPPORT AS ALLI TO THE MUNY."I THK HEARTS AND MDS ARE CHANGG. THERE’S BEEN MORE VISIBLE ALLYSHIP, THANKFULLY … WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF THAT,” STARK SAID.“[BUT] THERE ARE STILL HIGH LEVELS OF HOMOPHOBIA AND RACISM SPORT, PECIALLY ON SOCIAL MEDIA.”COMBATG THAT, HE SAID, REQUIR A “REAL FOC” ON CHANGG ATTUS AT THE GRASSROOTS AMATR LEVEL, “BEE THAT'S WHERE THE REAL CHANGE HAPPENS.”“ONCE WE START MAKG THOSE DIFFERENC, WE’RE GOG TO SEE MORE [SUPPORT] AT THE ELE LEVEL,” HE SAID.SHARE6 M READPUBLISHED 15 NOVEMBER 2021 9:28AMBY NAVEEN RAZIKSOURCE: SBS NEWSTAGSSPORTATRALIASHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHARETOPICS

Ash had prevly studied the Israeli self-fense martial art of Krav Maga as a way to fend himself om would-be homophob. Ash told Gay Star News:.