2014 Gay Games to Be Hosted by....Cleveland? Say what?

by Michael Jones · 2008-10-23 21:22:00 UTC
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gay gamesIt's the Heart of Rock N Roll.  The Metropolis of the Western Reserve.  The Mistake on the Lake (although this nickname isn't fair - I grew up 80 miles east of the city, and the city has a lot of potential.  Besides, its rivers haven't caught on fire for decades!)

But in 2014, Cleveland could very well add another nickname to its fold:  Host of the Gay Games.  Word out today has it that Cleveland, Miami and (my current hometown!) Boston have bid for the 2014 Gay Games.  And to show their support, organizers have snagged the endorsement of two major organizations in Cleveland for the Gay Games: Positively Cleveland, the city's convention and visitors bureau, and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission.

The proposal is being led by the Cleveland Synergy Foundation, which works to enhance economic and cultural conditions for the city's LGBT community.

The Gay Games have grown in popularity since their original outing (haha, no pun intended) in 1982.  Founded by Olympic athlete Tom Wadell, the Games have bounced around to different cities every four years, from Vancouver to Sydney, Australia.  The most recent games, in 2006, were held in Chicago, and Gay Games 2010 will be held in Cologne, Germany.  So Cleveland (or Boston or Miami) would join an impressive list of cities.

For more information on the Gay Games Federation, check out their Web site here.

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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