Gay Games in Limerick

Might it just be possible that the spokesman the LBGT was trying to get the message across that the games would be open to those who share a common interest with LBGT, but was hoping to deter the "hilarious" pranksters and trouble-makers that an unequivocal, open invitation might attract?

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Apparently Limerick is down to the final 7 for a chance to host the Gay Games in 2018.

Firstly I didn't know the Gays had their own games I just presumed they would be happy with the Olympics like everyone else.

When asked on the radio about whether anyone can join in the games it seems they can't. If your not in the LBGT community your not welcolme, well thats the way it came across on the radio.

This annoys me, there on the radio every second day about there right to marraige etc but when it comes to straight people joining in to play some rugby, do a bit of running etc the straight community can apparently go fup themselves as far as the LBGT's are concerned.

Hyprocites of the highest order, what's your take on it?

drunkmonkey wrote: »

If it's for everybody why don't they just call it the games, it's not for everybody that's my point.
The LBGT community rep was asked twice whether it was for everybody and he all but said no straight people please. Apparently you have to be a member of the community to play, which rules out about 98% of the population.

You really are determined to get as offended as possible by this, aren't you.

The official stance of the organisers has already been clarified.

This is clearly about gay people coming together in a fun social setting, celebrating the fact that they're not ashamed of their orientation (a statement that still needs galvanizing today, imo) and including straight people with them. Sounds great ; and you can take part now ; what are you whingeing for?

rochey84 wrote: »

The idea is that although a huge number of Olympians that are gay, they are not encouraged to express their sexual identidy this is the chance to show that gay people are not confined to the gay bars etc!

And also, although of course many people in the gay community enjoy sports, I think many could have negative attitudes of partaking in a small number of team sports.

Part of the reason for this might be a perception of greater homophobia in (particularly male) team/ contact sports. I don't agree with that personally; I think it's symptomatic of nothing more than insensitive, but harmless, banter that goes on. Nevertheless, the belief of something more sinister exists, and that's a bad thing.

You wouldn't expect this event to overcome that belief, but anything that brings gay and straight people together in a fun statement of acceptance is a positive move in that direction.

.danindudlin wrote: »

There are many out gay Olympians e.g. Matthew Mitchum. Nobody gasped or refused to go in the pool with him!

There were 10,000 athletes at the 2012 Games in London.

Name those who were gay.

later12 wrote: »

Yep, that's the list I had in mind as well.

23 athletes out of >10,000. That comes to about 0.2% of Olympic athletes, far below even the most conservative estimates of the gay population.

Is that really what you had in mind when you claimed that there are "many out gay Olympians"?

23 out of more than 10,000?

Maybe now you can see why there was a move to hold an event that encouraged gay participation.

+1 there man. The fact of the matter is, in the Olympics or any sort of professional sport there isn't a welcoming environment to homosexuality at all, in fact in a lot of cases, like soccer for example, there is a heavy homophobic air and hostility within it so out players are next to non exsistant.
I think things like this actually help out and let people become more comfortable with their sexuality. It's nothing to state or over emphasise but it's not right it should be hidden either. Eventually though with these sort of events, things will improve and gay people will be able to be out and not hide their orientation, and games like this may no longer be needed.

Edit: there was a huge amount of athletes that were gay or bisexual but weren't out and Grindr - the gay hook up app, actually crashed and was down for a few days because of the overwhelming demand in London.