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Gay Games III Slated For Aug. 1990
in Vancouver, Atlanta Gearing Up
Although the U.S. Supreme Court might forbid it, most gays and lesbians still refer to
them as the "Gay Olympics." The sponsors of Celebration '90, Gay Games ffl and Cultural
Festival don t really worry about what you call it, they just want to see you there.
The subject (of the use of the word Olympics) is now history according to
Celebration 90 Mary Brooks. "Why waste our energy on something like that when we
have so much else to do."
The Gay Games have grown significantly from the first 14-sport competition in San
Francisco in 1982, which drew athletes from 179 cities, to next year's 28-sport mega-event.
Celebration 90, sponsored by the Metropolitan Vancouver Athletic and Arts Association
(MVAA), is conservatively expected to draw 7,500 athletes, 3,500 cultural
participants/exhibitors and 9,000 spectators to Vancouver, British Columbia August 4 -11,
1990. And they are, for the first time, actively courting gays and lesbians in the South to
participate in and attend the eight-day event
The 90 games will mark the first time the
quadrennial event has been held outside the
San Francisco Bay area, and has inspired the
evolution of a new international organization to
oversee and award the games to cities world
wide. The new Federation of Gay Games was
formed "to promote and develop the arts
including ... athletics... within the lesbian and
gay community" and ensure that the games'
principles of inclusion and co-gendering
remain hallmarks, according to Celebration
'90, a publication of MVAA. The move was
announced by director Jean Nelson of the San
Francisco Arts and Athletics, the Gay Games
founding organization, in late winter 1988 to
show that "the Gay Games belong to the
world."
Celebration '90 will differ substantially from
the 1982 and 1986 games, however, because
the performing arts will play a major role in the the events centered around Vancouver.
Current plans for the Cultural Festival include a gay/lesbian Film and Video Festival, a
Book and Writer's Fair, three different plays, a women's entertainment evening, art and
photography exhibitions and a 1000 voice chorus. Although the inclusion of the arts caused
a minor stir within the San Francisco and Seattle sports communities, organizers feel that
the addition of the Cultural Festival will greatly enhance Celebration '90s drawing power.
"Why not (have a Cultural Festival)?" asked Celebration 90s Brooks. "It gives mote
opportunity for people to participate.... Even though the idea is that you don't have to be a
top athlete to compete (in the games), the Cultural Festival does open the door to more
lesbians and gays throughout the world participating."
The Gay Games have matured and expanded since the controversial high court decision
that banned the phrase Gay Olympics but left intact its use by groups such as the "Crab
Olympics," say Celebration '90 Gay Games HI and Cultural Festival organizers. According
to Vancouver director Barry McDell, however, Celebration '90 organizers have never
wanted to use the phrase Olympics.
"Our current name, Gay Games, was our response to homophobic persecution which we
overcame by creating something very special, wonderful and most of all, unique in the
world of international sports. Our down playing of nationalism; our inclusiveness and
freedom from age, race and sex stereotypes have made us quite different from any of the
other Olympics," McDell stated.
"It would be a backward step to take on their label at this point," he added.
Gay Games founder and Olympic decathlete Dr. Tom Waddell, who died due to
complication from AIDS July 11,1987, is credited with the founding wisdom behind
McDell's statements. "To do one's personal best is the ultimate of human achievement."
Waddell founded the Games to combat what he saw as a loss of the original Olympic spirit
in international athletic competition.
"The Games were conceived as an opportunity for thousands of individuals with their
athletic skills at various levels of development to have the thrill and joy of international
competition," according to Celebration 90 documents. They state that the Games are built
Cont'd Page 16
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