WEB EXTRA: Gay Games VII: "Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best"
by Philip Deitch and Don Leach
07-25-2006

From left: Tom Walsh, Heather Husek, Michael Regier, Debbie Miller

Chicago, the windy city, enjoyed the benefits which come from 100,000 visitors blowing in from most of the states and 65 countries for the 2006 Gay Games. The main result was increased positive contact between straight and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people from around the world meeting in the arena of sports, common ground where respect is given and bonds are built.

Approximately 12,000 participated in 30 sports, from the recreational to the elite level, spread among five primary sports villages throughout the metropolitan area. Other benefits included extensive gay-positive media coverage including the premiere of Sirius OUTQ 24/7 radio, broadcasting live hourly reports on the Games and related events all week. The economic impact of the games on Chicago was estimated at $80 million.

The four-hour opening ceremonies were held Saturday, July 15 in Soldier Field. The Games officially began with the conclusion of the Rainbow Memorial Run, the Gay Games version of the passing of the torch. This run includes a series of events to bring the Rainbow Flag as a symbolic "Torch" from San Francisco, the "Athens" of the Gay Games, around the world to the site of the games. The program featured the United States’ first openly gay ambassador, James Hormel, Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis and entertainers Cyndi Lauper, Esera Tuaolo, Kate Clinton, Suzanne Westenhoefer and Andy Bell among others all capped by fireworks.

Athletes frequently mentioned three memorable events during the opening ceremonies. The first was the speech delivered by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley supporting gay rights across the board. The second was when the athletes all turned on the pen lights they had been given to find that they had been lined up to create a visible rainbow flag. The third and happiest moment was simply entering onto the field.

Michael Regier, Team St. Louis president, recalled the opening ceremony as "the most incredible feeling walking -- no, running -- out onto the field with my home state getting stadium support in cheers; it was just incredible." Debbie Miller, Team St Louis vice president, said, "It's the best feeling to hear 40,000 cheering spectators. That provides one powerful welcome. Even states with just two or three participants, their flag flying, were embraced and cheered.”

Missouri participants included 49 contestants from St. Louis, along with others from Kansas City and around the state. Missourians had a variety of reasons for participating.

"This was so much fun, I can't even tell you," Miller said. "The only down side was adjusting to the wind on the beach that was a lot stronger than practicing in St. Louis at the Stratford Inn."

Regier talked about "meeting people, having fun and just breaking the stereotypes too many straights have about our playing sports and not just focusing on hair and nails." Greg Rieger, who ran in the half-marathon, said, "I used this as an excuse to get healthier, and it was real fun. You become more proud of yourself, and it is awesome meeting folk from around the world."

His partner, John Furlong, ran the full marathon. He called the quality of the athletics very impressive and said he enjoyed the cultural programs that were part of the extensive schedule. While this was their first Games, the St. Louis couple now plan to go the next Games in Cologne. St. Louis participation was coordinated by Team St. Louis. Kansas City Participation was managed by Team KC Toto Sports.

The Papua New Guinea volleyball champions

In her remarks at the closing ceremonies, Roberta Matachie of the Federation of Gay Games said, “These Gay Games have been about the strength of our culture and of our (GLBT) community.” Earlier in the week she recalled her special moments as including the entrance of the one lone participant from Uganda carrying their flag, the small number of participants from Papua New Guinea and the lesbian soccer team from South Africa. These South African women were there on scholarships raised by the Federation of Gay Games which also helped these athletes in getting their Visas and travel arrangements as none of them had ever been on a plane before.

Identifying participants and eliciting their stories of pride were among the high points of the Games and easy to hear when meeting on the streets or on the Chicago trains. The Papua New Guinea team overcame unique obstacles to win gold and become the generally designated dream team of these games. When they arrived at the Chicago airport, it became apparent that their local sponsors had evaporated. It is still not clear what happened, but after not really eating for two days, Moses Tau, the team captain, contacted a friend of his, Jim Barnett, a member of the New Zealand Parliament. He in turn contacted the Consulate of New Zealand in Chicago as New Guinea does not have representation there. Mr. Burkhardt is the Honorary Consul and he accepted the challenge willingly. He recruited Cathy Aldana -- a volunteer among his staff -- who brought all her considerable energy and enthusiasm to supporting their needs throughout the following week, including a lot of transportation. The team ended up meeting NYC for the Men’s Indoor Volleyball finals. All the teams they had beaten were along the sidelines cheering for them. Even the members of the NYC team were in tears before the game, saying there was no one else they would rather meet – and lose to (if it came to that). After the Papua New Guinea team received their gold medals, the two teams exchanged jerseys in a perfect demonstration of sportsmanship.

Richard Madsen

One of their special fans had his own unique story. Philip Martin had come from Sydney Australia to compete in Tennis. After having competed in the previous Australia Gay Games and spending four years preparing for these Games, a computerized registration problem prevented him from competing. He spent much of the week with the Papua New Guinea team becoming an inspired adopted cheerleader/team member. Aldana was also very proud to point out that New Zealand had 24 participants in the Games! While on the "L" train we met Richard Madsen. He was a basketball player from Salt Lake City. He bragged about the participation of Scott McCay, their Utah out state senator who was a visible leader their state’s “No On Amendment 3” anti-marriage campaign but was here as a member of their state flag football team.

One often overlooked aspect of the Games is that there is no discrimination against straight men and women. Many are there as officials, volunteers and even as participating athletes, because they understand and value the level of competition. It is not required to identify your sexual orientation. Of those who do, approximately 5 percent identify as straight.

"It does have an impact," said Jerry Tillman, head official for the wrestling venue. "The more contact, the more exposure between people connecting, the more comfortable people become -- just like in learning a sport."

Wrestling was also a good example of increasing diversity between men and women. There were twice as many women wrestling in these Games as there were in Sydney four years ago. No women from Missouri were registered, though Missouri did have one of the first women participants during the Gay Games in NYC in 1994. Erika Hom is a coach for the San Francisco Golden Gate Wrestling Team. "I choose to get involved (in wrestling) because it is a good sport for self-esteem and confidence -- women have not been allowed to do 'men's' sports enough -- but the physical, aggressive, independent nature of wrestling is really self-empowering."

Erica Hom, coach for the San Francisco Golden Gate Wrestling Team

Support for the Games came from the more than 350 corporate sponsors who provided $10 million, technical support from the city of Chicago in establishing venues and the 3,000 volunteers who provided services including medical care at each of the venues. Because of the high temperatures in Chicago, free bottles of water and available medical care were critical services. The participation by volunteers was essential to the Games’ financial success. Another factor was ticket sales. All of the special parties and many sports events required ticket purchases. Still, there were enough sports and cultural events not requiring entry fees to enjoy throughout the week.

There were 150 ancillary cultural arts and social events. These included panel presentations with out athletes past and present. The Pritzker Music Pavilion at Millennium Park hosted a concert performed by more than 300 members of gay and lesbian bands across the United States with leadership coming from St. Louis, San Francisco and Chicago. There were receptions and rallies focused on remembrance and prevention for AIDS and breast cancer. There was a Gay Games store in the host Hilton Hotel on Michigan Avenue selling a multitude of Games merchandise.

There was also an extensive exposition in the hotel where all the corporate sponsors and other businesses had booths set up. Several police and fire departments from around the country, including Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland, had set up recruitment booths. Of course many of the bars and other gay/lesbian-owned businesses had their own related events and receptions, and did very well. The most popular men's bars had lines going around the block. The Touché Bar hosted former WCW and WWE professional wrestler Kanyon, making his first appearance as an out gay man. And the women's community arranged several special parties capped by a Saturday night dance on Navy Pier.

There were several crises facing these Games. The biggest was that Montreal was originally awarded the Games but their designation was recalled by the Federation of Gay Games over financial and related matters. Montreal has gone ahead with their own plans though and the OUT Games were beginning a week after these games were ending. Several Team St Louis athletes are attending the Montreal games also.

The other major issue was community reaction in suburban Crystal Lake where there was an initial backlash about rowing being held there. Community support finally won out and only one protester showed up when the competition was actually held. And in response to conservative religious organizations, all five Republican members of the Cook County Board of Supervisors withdrew their names from a routine proclamation welcoming the Gay Games to Chicago. Democratic Commissioner Mike Quigley had already signed up to play ice hockey at The Games.

Cyndi Lauper wowed the crowd with her voice and her rainbow gown at the Gay Games Closing Ceremonies.

Closing ceremonies were held Saturday, July 22 in Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, one of the Games' sponsors. The talent included gay and lesbian cheerleaders, the Gay and Lesbian Bands of America, The Ubaka Hill Drumsong Institute, The DC Cowboys, the comic Ant, Sharon McNight and Cyndi Lauper. A much freer atmosphere existed at the closing than the longer and more formal staging of the opening ceremonies.

The event began with the athletes marching in together as a single group, not as teams or countries, and then taking seats in the stadium to watch the show. Three of the participants from New Orleans walked in wearing blow-up flotation rings while joking about themselves as "the first wave" of some 50 participants from their city. They wore their beads proudly. One of the Mexican track and field participants wore his numerous gold and silver medals along with a large sombrero. Orange pom poms were distributed to the spectators at the end of the program as the symbolic “Distribution of the Flame.”

Mayor Daley thanked the gay community "for showing what Chicago is -- what a city should be -- all about participation, inclusion and giving the chance (for all its citizens) to achieve your personal best." The longest talk at the closing was from Elfi Scho-Antwerpes, deputy mayor of Cologne, Germany, which will be hosting the games in 2010. She gave a strong talk evaluating the status of gay rights all over Eastern Europe and encouraging everyone to be involved in these and other events which keep the focus on the need to achieve equal rights for gays and lesbians around the world.

The Gay Games were founded by former 1968 Olympic decathlete Dr. Tom Waddell with the mission of "creating an extraordinary sports and cultural event that inspires, empowers and enriches the global LGBT community and society at large … " Previous Gay Games have been held in San Francisco in 1982 and 1986, Vancouver in 1990, New York in 1994, Amsterdam in 1998 and Sydney in 2002.

The first game had 17 sports with 1,350 participants from 12 countries. Since then there have been 50,000 participants with combined attendance of over 1 million. The Games are designed less about competition and instead made to focus on "Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best," the Gay Games mantra.

In 2002 the Federation began designating "Gay Games Ambassadors" to help publicize the important roles the Games play worldwide. There are currently over 100 designated Ambassadors and Champions including Billie Jean King, Greg Louganis, Melissa Etheridge and Sir Elton John.

Individuals come from all walks of life with competition based on skill and age levels, especially to allow for those over age 50. Team St. Louis and Team KC are recruiting now for participants for Cologne, Germany in 2010, and there are scholarships and work programs in place to support the financial impact of attending.

You can e-mail Philip Deitch plloydd@aol.com.

LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES