Gay Games I to X — Gay Games
The Gay Games is a worldwide sport and cultural event that promotes acceptance of sexual diversity, featuring lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) athletes, artists and other individuals. Founded as the Gay Olympics, it was started in the United States in San Francisco, California, in , as the brainchild of Olympic decathlete (Mexico City ) and medical doctor Tom Waddell. The organizers of the San Francisco event faced major challenges, including a lawsuit by the U. Olympic Committee. Gay Games
In , Gay Games IV was held in New York City, who’s opening ceremony included a stirring speech by Olympic diving legend Greg Louganis, who would go on to become a prominent LGBTQ+ advocate. Additional world records were set in the swimming events, further marking the Gay Games as a legitimate sporting event. The Gay Games is an athletic and cultural event conceived by Dr. Tom Waddell, an Olympic decathlete, and was first held in San Francisco in 
The Gay Games
The Gay Games is a competition for LGBTQ+ athletes from all over the world. It was founded in by a group that included Olympic decathlete Dr. Tom Waddell, as well as Rikki Streicher, owner of the iconic lesbian bar Amelia’s. Patterned after the Olympics and held every four years in a different city, the Gay Games came to encompass many different events, including track and field. He saw them as a way to make homosexuality acceptable in the sports community, but also to make sports acceptable in the homosexual community. Now simply called the Gay Games, the San Francisco event was a great success.
Gay Games
Tom Waddell, an athlete in the Olympics, created the Gay Games first held in to celebrate LGBTQ inclusion. The Gay Games are still held to this day with the next round scheduled for . 
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He planned to hold the first Gay Olympic Games in , but the use of the word “Olympic” was heavily opposed by both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the US Olympic Committee, eventually forcing Waddell to drop it. Now simply called the Gay Games, the San Francisco event was a great success. .
Welcome to the ‘Gay Games,’ an Olympics alternative, where
The Gay Games is an athletic and cultural event conceived by Dr. Tom Waddell, an Olympic decathlete, and was first held in San Francisco in Every four years the Gay Games welcome over 10, athletes in 30+ sports. Any adult athlete is welcome: all genders, gay or straight, novice or elite. Participants range from rank beginners to Olympic medalists, and each individual partakes in. .
Why the First Gay Olympics Was a Watershed Moment in Sports
The size of Team LGBTQ — the collective number of out queer Olympic athletes, past and present — is significant. Today, we know of more than participants from past Summer Games who are out. . How the Olympics became the queerest sporting event in the
The Olympic Games celebrate diversity on the global stage Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month, celebrated in June, is an opportunity to reflect on how the Olympic Games foster inclusion. Picture by Paris 01 June GMT+04 min read. .