Why the First Gay Olympics Was a Watershed Moment Sports | HISTORY

Contents:

• WHY THE FIRST GAY OLYMPICS WAS A WATERSHED MOMENT SPORTS
• A BRIEF HISTORY OF OPENLY GAY OLYMPIANS
• FIRST GAY OLYMPIAN HISTORY PETED 1928
• THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 39 GAY OLYMPIC FIGURE SKATERS. HERE’S THE LIST

WHY THE FIRST GAY OLYMPICS WAS A WATERSHED MOMENT SPORTS

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.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF OPENLY GAY OLYMPIANS

Olympic Commtee's lawsu barrg the event om g the name "Gay Olympics. 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. "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.

FIRST GAY OLYMPIAN HISTORY PETED 1928

Combs pete the dancport petn at the Gay Gam Chigo 2006.

THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 39 GAY OLYMPIC FIGURE SKATERS. HERE’S THE LIST

Olympian, was one of the lead anizers of the first Gay Gam.