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Jim at Outsports

Aug 12 2004, 11:04 AM

I wrote an article on the fact there are only 4 publicly out gay athletes in Athens.

If anyone knows of someone I missed, please let me know. Thanks.

canmark

Aug 14 2004, 04:20 PM

CBC will be using Mark Tewksbury, the gay former Olympian (gold in '92) and co-president of OutGames Montreal, for some swimming commentary at the Olympics.

Studlover

Aug 15 2004, 03:24 PM

Wonder how many gay Olympians there are actually at Athens? Closeted, of course.

Just read the Rob Newton brief interview in Instinct, and the coverguy, Graham Ackerman, is hoping for a gymnastics shot in 2008!

Jim at Outsports

Aug 15 2004, 05:19 PM

We are now at 7, thanks to alert readers.

canmark

Aug 17 2004, 01:25 PM

The Toronto Star has this AP article, Gays are a rare breed at Games, in their Olympics section in today's paper. It mentions Outsports.

QUOTE

OutSports, a U.S.-based Web site devoted to gay sports, tried to tally the number of openly gay and lesbian athletes competing in Athens and came up with only six — including Dover and tennis players Martina Navratilova and Amelie Mauresmo. Dover suggests there are scores more not ready to be open.

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A google search reveals that this AP article (above), which mentions Outsports, has been published in papers across the U.S. and Canada, South Africa, India, and also CNN/Si.com

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It's also positive to note that the number of out athletes in the games is increasing. Just a few days ago, Jim's article listed six athletes. Now it's nine. How many more will we learn about by the time the Olympics end, and how many will come out afterwards?

[ August 18, 2004, 06:58 AM: Message edited by: canmark ]

Flikker

Aug 20 2004, 05:48 PM

In 1996, the Atlanta Olympic Committee actually had a gay & lesbian athlete's welcome center (I visited it). I wonder if Sydney or Athens have done the same? I would have sworn there were far more gay athletes in Atlanta. I'd heard that there were MANY that year.

canmark

Aug 20 2004, 06:41 PM

Interestingly, on the official Olympics website there is a section under Visitors Info>>Night Life>>Clubbing>>Gay which lists gay bars in Athens.

One club is listed as, 'the new meeting place of "bears." ' Another is, 'The best "club" with every gay scene. Playing house and Greek music. Also a dark room in the basement.' eek!

andrea

Aug 21 2004, 04:26 AM

Outsports.com is mentioned inthe Olympics official site. Look at Robert Dover's biography in the "awards and honours" section.
http://www.athens2004.com/en/ParticipantBi...1&rsc=EQX401902

sportinlife

Aug 21 2004, 09:18 AM

QUOTE

andrea:
Outsports.com is mentioned inthe Olympics official site. Look at Robert Dover's biography in the \"awards and honours\" section.
http://www.athens2004.com/en/ParticipantBi...1&rsc=EQX401902

And again under "Other Information". Pretty cool.

CPT_Doom

Aug 22 2004, 08:51 AM

From the ever-growing number on Jim's tally, it is clear that perhaps, finally, the concept of gay athletes, particularly women, has become something that is not that important. It is also clear that if you want to be a gay athlete, equestrian seems like the most accepting sport.

Joe in Philly

Aug 26 2004, 02:01 PM

Jim's article referenced Derrick Peterson...

QUOTE

There is also at least one anomaly: U.S. 800-meter runner Derrick Peterson. In 2002. Peterson got some attention when he told Genre magazine, “\"I hate labels. I don't really care what people think of my sexual orientation, I like men and women. One thing I will say for sure, I'm definitely not heterosexual!\" A few weeks after the article appeared, Peterson reversed himself, saying he wasn’t gay and professing his love for his girlfriend; he said his past comments about being with men was part of an “experimental phase.” Gay? Straight? Try confused.

Well, he finished 4th in his qualifying heat and failed to advance yesterday.

RBear78240

Aug 26 2004, 06:48 PM

QUOTE

canmark:
Another is, 'The best \"club\" with every gay scene. Playing house and Greek music. Also a dark room in the basement.' eek!

LOL, I've been to three of those bars when I visited this past May. They are all on a street about 5 blocks from the Acropolis that's full of auto repair shops during the day. Lamba's actually a very cool place.

I think Athens is the first Official site to list gay bars in the spectator area. Gotta hand it to the Greeks.

RBear78240

Aug 26 2004, 06:51 PM

QUOTE

andrea:
Outsports.com is mentioned inthe Olympics official site. Look at Robert Dover's biography in the \"awards and honours\" section.
http://www.athens2004.com/en/ParticipantBi...1&rsc=EQX401902

Hey hey, how about that. Congrats to Jim and Cyd for making the official site. Have to check and see if Robert gave them those references to add to his bio.

fenwayguy

Aug 28 2004, 09:26 PM

QUOTE

In the international party atmosphere of the Olympic Games, the Greek gay scene is finally coming out of the closet.

After decades in the shadows of a macho society, the gay scene's young beautiful people now start to shake their stuff in the limelight, challenging stereotypes and leaving the old norm of hidden, double lives behind in a sprint forward.
...

Gay activist Gregory Vallianatos said the great numbers of gay visitors at the Games were a chance for the local scene to mature and assert itself in an otherwise hostile environment.

\"Every night it was packed, the Greeks, the foreigners, the go-go boys, all going mad until 7:00 a.m.,\" said Maria Cyber, party organiser and grande dame of the Greek lesbian scene.

- Athens gay scene out for the Games, Reuters UK, 8/27/04

And more than an a few gay and gay-friendly Olympic athletes, no doubt...

[ August 28, 2004, 09:31 PM: Message edited by: redsoxbreath ]

canmark

Aug 30 2004, 07:02 PM

Article in the Washington Blade on gay Olympians, which mentions Outsports.

canmark

Sep 27 2005, 08:22 AM

I'm posting this link here, as the article, Gay Horsemen Raise AIDS Funds, features Robert Dover, the Olympic equestrian. I particularly liked this quote:

QUOTE

Until you see baseball, basketball, and football players that are comfortable being publicly gay, equestrians are going to remain the anomaly,” (Dover) said. “Since there are so many out gay athletes in the equestrian world, we are far ahead of many of the other professional sports.”

Cattledog

Oct 4 2005, 05:53 AM

Any news about any gay athletes at the 2006 Winter Games at Turin, Italy?

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