Community | July 28, 2009 | 13 comments

The Gay Olympics - World Outgames: 'We hope to break down stereotypes'

source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2009/jul/28/world-outgames-2009-denmark

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From swimmers to ballroom dancers, competitors at the 'gay Olympics' in Copenhagen say it is the taking part that matters.

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13 comments // The Gay Olympics - World Outgames: 'We hope to break down stereotypes'

  • Joe_Lopez
  • jh64487
    • 0
      jh64487  

    • considering the last olympics in china was apparently an ongoing orgy of drinking and sex i'm...i'm not sure this is the best way to break the stereotype.

    • 2 years ago
  • lionboy
    • 0
      lionboy  

    • Please, check out couldntfindusername's reply to saladin's comment above. He gives a well-stated response to some of the questions here.

    • 2 years ago
  • good_stuff
  • clownpuncher
  • Saladin
  • couldntfindausername
    • 0
      couldntfindausername  
    • Saladin:

      The point is there was only about a dozen acknowledged gay athletes [two male divers from Australia and about 10 females in various events] in Beijing, when statistically there should have been several hundred to a thousand.

      Before and since many of these athletes, and many more competing at sub-olympic levels, have cited prejudice and stereotyping as major forces suppressing the apparent level [rather than the actual level] of LGB involvement in the olympic games.

      The point of the OutGames is to show that the LGB people can, in fact, run and jump and swim and dive and climb and kayak and fight just like everyone else.

      One of the problems this can help address is the difficulty gay athletes face in getting sponsorship - even when they perform at the highest level.

    • 2 years ago
  • Spoon2013
  • Samiammi
  • benirose
    • 0
      benirose  

    • haha that's what I thought at first, but then I realized that I think the point is that it's "gay themed", like stuff gay people like (you know how gay people love to stereotype themselves) like, as it says, ballroom dancing, and maybe a YMCA off? I guess it would be like if someone started a "straight olympics" and all it involved was "Who can drink miller lite the fastest" and "Who can give the best sports commentary".

    • 2 years ago
  • neonbunny
  • benirose
  • bansheewail
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