Produced and curated by Federation of Gay Games Archivist Doug Litwin and FGG Honourary Life Member Shamey Cramer
with Ankush Gupta, FGG Officer of Communications

Read the entire "Passing The Torch" series as it is posted daily HERE.

Post 25 of 40 - 21 August - Gay Games 11: Co-Hosts

“Passing The Torch: Ruby Anniversary Edition” is a factual timeline of the major events that have been part of the Gay Games evolution since its inception. The series will run from 28 July 2022 - one month before the 40th anniversary of the original Opening Ceremony at San Francisco’s Kezar Stadium - through 5 September, the anniversary of Gay Games I Closing Ceremony. All postings will remain online and available for viewing at the FGG website.

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HONG KONG 2023

The world was a very different place when Hong Kong first won the bid to host Gay Games 11 in 2017. In 2019, there was social unrest in Hong Kong. Just as the situation began to ease, the world was hit with COVID in early 2020. It has now been 2.5 years.

Due to the unpredictable progression of COVID variants and ongoing corresponding travel restrictions in Hong Kong, there are continuing challenges for participants from around the world to travel to here. Yet, as the organisers of Gay Games 11 in Hong Kong, we remain steadfast and committed to our original vision of organising the most inclusive and diverse Games celebrating its 40 years history, and the first time in Asia.

So, where does that leave us, the organisers of Gay Games 11?

We were put to our first test in the summer of 2021 as we were gearing up to prepare for registration opening: should we devote the limited resources of GGHK, a fully volunteer-run, non-profit charitable organisation, to work on registration opening by November 2021 (i.e. one year out of the original scheduled date), OR should we postpone the event for a year so to enable FGG member organizations to develop an appropriate training schedule for Gay Games 11 in 2023, and make alternate arrangements for their own 2022 tournaments?

In the end, we decided to delay the Games until 3 – 11 November 2023 as it will enhance the likelihood of delivering on our promise to have the Games in HK serve as a beacon of hope for the wider community across the region. The postponement announcement was made on September 15, 2021, with the support of the FGG.

Following the postponement announcement, the organizing team was busy reviewing our plans. Little did we know that just as we were getting ready to re-start Gay Games 11 after the New Year holidays, Hong Kong was hit with the fifth wave of COVID in January/February 2022, and we were put to our second test.

Current flyer for Gay Games Hong Kong
To visit the GGHK website, click HERE
To see the Brandon Li short film about life in Hong Kong, click HERE
To see the latest "Come Out For The Games" video, click HERE

At that time, many countries/regions around the world had already adopted the “living with COVID” approach, and international travel was beginning to resume. However, that was not the case in Hong Kong, and the city was (and has been) maintaining one of the strictest quarantine requirements in its efforts to contain the spread of COVID.

Faced with continued challenges brought on by the COVID pandemic, with the desire to ensure more participants can join the Games, regardless of their location, the Hong Kong Games organizing committee proposed the concept of a co-hosted event to the FGG in February 2022.

By having Gay Games 11 accessible to participants across two locations we can ensure we meet our aim of being as inclusive as possible while international travel continues to recover. We will still be holding the first Gay Games in Asia, but potentially for the first time in Latin America as well, welcoming the widest possible audience to both cities.

If anything, COVID taught us to be agile and adaptable to a constantly changing environment. We now have over 200+ passionate volunteers working on the common goal of bringing the most inclusive Gay Games to Hong Kong. The uncertainties brought on by COVID are an opportunity for us to show the rest of the world the resilience and commitment of the team in HK to organise the most inclusive Games in its 40-year history: and the first time in Asia and in Central/Latin America!

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GUADALAJARA 2023

MONICA SANCHEZ: La primera vez que supe de Gay Games fue cuando los miembros de FGG visitaron Gudalajara para conocer nuestra ciudad como parte del proceso de nuestra primera postulación en el 2017. A partir de ese momento, el alcalde de Guadalajara me nombraría como la representante del gobierno para la postulación de los juegos. Los Gay Games eran un enigma para mí, aún cuando había sido parte del comité de los juegos panamericanos, ex voleibolista profesional de playa y a mi pesar una atleta frustrada, no sabía de la existencia de dicho evento. Unos meses más tarde me vería en un avión con un grupo de personas desconocidas que nos dirigíamos a Paris para presentar nuestra postulación. Aunque no fue fácil, porque la mayoría nos sentíamos incómodos en un ambiente desconocido, presentamos nuestra propuesta lo mejor que pudimos logrando un triste segundo lugar. Sin embargo, algo había cambiado dentro de nosotros.

Cuando regresamos de Paris Juan Carlos Razo nos invitó a ser miembros de la primera Federación Mexicana Deportiva de la Diversidad. Ese logro y las ganas de conseguir los juegos en el futuro nos impulsarían a participar en Paris 2018.

Mis primeros Gay Games en Paris me brindaron la oportunidad de conocer el corazón de los juegos. Me abrí a nuevas experiencias, como asistir a la competencia de baile, entre otras competencias que fui a observar. Para una latina, que siempre le ha encantado bailar, era difícil imaginarse a dos personas del mismo sexo bailando salsa, tango, danzón. Y Que creen? Fue lo mejor de París, lo que más me impacto emocionalmente, las parejas que bailaban con una pasión, elegancia y profesionalismo me hicieron flexionar y querer que mi gente experimentará el mismo sentimiento. Fue una de las muchas razones por las que quería ser parte del equipo que lograra traer los Gay Games por primera vez a México y a Latinoamérica. La magia del legado de los Gay Games ya me había alcanzado.

Después de tiempos tan difíciles que vivimos como humanidad y de la muerte de mi padre por covid; el gobernador del estado de Jalisco me designaría otra vez como representante del gobierno para nuestra segunda postulación en Brighton, Reino Unido. A pesar de tener que hacer cuarentena, Juan Carlos, Alex, Andrés, Roció y yo decidimos vivir “el big brother londinense”. Ya que queríamos estar en “igualdad de condiciones” que Munich y Valencia, porque las videoconferencias jamás sustituirán la presencia humana. Fue una de las mejores experiencias de mi vida, descubrí grandes amigos, que a través de vivir 15 días bajo el mismo techo, nos haría unirnos lograr hacer una gran presentación. Sí, una gran presentación para mí, porque finalmente enfrente de los miembros de FGG (y la primera vez públicamente) salí del clóset contando mi historia personal.

Nací con todas las habilidades para ser una atleta de alto rendimiento, pero mi familia y una sociedad católica y extremadamente machista no estaba preparada para una mujer libre de estigmas. Comencé en el equipo escolar de basquetbol a los 8 años, a los 11 ya era seleccionada de Jalisco y a los 12 me invitaron al equipo nacional. Y ahí empezó mi frustración, mi entrenadora era “muy masculina”, “ una marimacha” para mi familia y no permitirían que su hija fuera así. Por eso estuve en todos los deportes posibles hasta que muy tarde en mi vida me volví voleibolista de playa profesional. Después mi padre se disculparía por no haberme entendido, por no haber tenido la capacidad de cambiar su manera de pensar y haberme dejado lograr mi sueño. Ahora entiendo que mi destino era, a través de mi carrera gubernamental, tratar de hacer de mi ciudad un mejor lugar para vivir y a través de mi experiencia como funcionaria pública, y como todos los ciclos en la vida , me llevarían a dirigir los primeros juegos de la diversidad de México y de América Latina.

El legado de la magia de los Gay games ahora impactará las vidas de lxs jóvenes latinoamericanxs. Romperá los estereotipos de roles: de qué es ser mujer u hombre; qué profesiones, deportes y hobbies podemos elegir, independientemente de nuestra orientación sexual o identidad de género.

Los Gay Games Guadalajara 2023 serán un evento histórico, porque serán los juegos de la unión, la fraternidad y el amor para todxs!!

MONICA SANCHEZ:  The first time I heard about the Gay Games was when FGG visited Guadalajara as part as their site selection process for Guadalajara’s first bid in 2017. The mayor of Guadalajara appointed me to represent the government for that moment on. Gay Games were an enigma for me even though I was involved in the Panamerican Games and I was a former professional beach volleyball player and a frustrated athlete.

But then, suddenly I found myself in a plane with a bunch of unknown people heading to Paris to officially present our bid. It was not easy, most of us felt uncomfortable in an unknown environment but proudly we did our best and sadly we did not make it. Nevertheless, something had changed inside us all. When we came back from Paris, Juan Carlos Razo invited us to create the first Mexican Federation of Sports and Diversity and, we the committee, decided to continue our way to Paris 2018.

Monica Sanchez (R) with Laura Flessel, French Minister of Sport, Paris 2018

Monica Sanchez at the Paris Gay Games Opening Ceremony with Rocio Lancaster from the Mexico delegation

My first Gay Games in Paris 2018 gave me the opportunity to experience the essence of the games. I opened myself to watch the dance sport among other disciplines. For a Latin woman that has loved to dance all her life, it was difficult to think about same sex dance, and guess what? It was the best performance I saw in Paris and the one that impacted me the most emotionally. The beauty behind those couples, even though the place was not good at all, made me reflect and share with our community back home the same feeling. It was one of many reasons I wanted to be part of bringing the Games for the first time to México and Latin America. The magic of the Gay Games legacy had already touched me.

Then, after difficult times for all of humanity and the loss of my father due to COVID, the governor appointed me to bid again in Brighton in 2021. Against all odds, Juan Carlos, Rocio, Alex and myself decided to “live the big brother London” in order for us to be present and in “equal conditions” with Valencia and Munich. One of the best experiences in my life, I found true friends and that made feel united and we made a great and powerful presentation. It was a great presentation because finally in front of the FGG members (first time publicly) I came out with my personal story.

I was born to be an athlete but my family and a macho (manly) and Catholic society, were not ready for a free and a liberated woman. I started as a basketball player at the age of 8, at 11 I was already at the state team, and when I turned 12, I as part of the National Team. But guess what, my coach was “too masculine” a “marimacha” in Spanish to my family and they were not going to allow me to be like her. So, I tried every sport possible until I became very late in my life a professional beach volleyball player. Later in life, my father apologized to me for not breaking his mind and stereotypes to allow me to choose my path. Now, I understand that my destiny was to try to make my city a better place to live through my government career and that brought me to lead the first Gay Games in Latin America.

The magic of the Gay Games legacy now will impact the Latino American young population. It will break the stereotypes of the roles of how to be a woman or a man. What career or sport you can choose independently of your sex or gender orientation. Gay Games Guadalajara will make history because they will be the games of the union, the fraternity, and love for all!!

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EL ESTIGMA DE SER GAY EN MEXICO Y ATLETA

JUAN CARLOS RAZO: Soy Juan Carlos Razo, crecer en un país latinoamericano en los 80s siendo gay no era nada sencillo, el machismo y las costumbres sociales hasta el día de hoy siguen siendo frentes por los cuales luchar día a día. Pero nada comparado a intentar ser seleccionado nacional y gay a la vez, toda una odisea.

Yo encontré en el deporte la puerta de escape para mis problemas de ese momento, aprendí que siendo deportista podría viajar y estar en un mundo ajeno al infierno en el que vivía, mi deporte el voleibol me dio esa oportunidad, que un día tomé y jamás la solté.

El camino no fue fácil, siempre supe contra lo que tendría que luchar y aguantar, la vida misma me lo comprobó que el esfuerzo tendría que ser el triple siendo gay si quería llegar al equipo nacional, lo cuál conseguí a los 19 años, unos años más adelante siendo inclusive fuí el capitán, el primero abiertamente gay en la historia de mi país en un equipo representativo.

El deporte me abrió muchas puertas, ser un deportista de alto rendimiento me enseñó las bases de la responsabilidad, la constancia y sobre todo la entereza de creer en ti y en tus sueños, pero lo más importante … el sentimiento y el orgullo de ser tú mismo.

El proyecto de Gay Games es muy importante para mí, ahora como presidente de la federación mexicana deportiva de la diversidad puedo extender ese sentir, ese espíritu de pertenencia y seguridad a muchas más personas, que sin esta oportunidad seguramente nunca en su vida tendrían la opción de sentirse dentro de un proyecto tan empático, libre y afín. Trabajar por traer Gay Games por primera vez a México y Latinoamérica me llena de satisfacción y orgullo, por primera vez tendremos la oportunidad de abrir puertas y recibir a atletas de todo el mundo, haciendo lo que en México sabemos hacer mejor: Ser excelentes y los mejores anfitriones.

Los juegos también serán parte esencial en el proceso de identidad, aceptación e integración de la comunidad LGBTQI+ en la sociedad misma. Los juegos se dan en el mejor momento, justo cuando el tema ha tomado una gran importancia en nuestro país, estoy seguro que serán el primer gran proyecto de muchos que soñaremos y concretaremos con trabajo, porque así como un día soñamos con ver en nuestro país este gran evento, así llegarán otros más.

Dedico este proyecto y este sueño a dos grandes amigos, los cuales como muchos de nosotros se adelantaron en el camino de la vida, Alfonso Jackson, compañero de juego y de mil aventuras y Ricardo Vázquez, gran amigo y guía en mis primeros pasos en la vida gay, sé que estarán felices por todo esto y compartirán conmigo cada día de los juegos cuando por fin los tengamos en casa.

THE STIGMA OF BEING A GAY ATHLETE IN MEXICO

Juan Carlos playing Beach Volleyball 

JUAN CARLOS RAZO: I am Juan Carlos Razo. Growing up in a Latin American country in the 1980s, being gay was not easy at all. Machismo and social customs to this day continue to be issues that we fight day after day. But nothing compared to trying to be part of the Mexican national volleyball team and gay at the same time. It was quite an odyssey.

I found in sports the escape door for my problems at that time. I learned that as an athlete I could travel and be in a world far removed from the hell in which I lived. Volleyball gave me that opportunity, which one day I took and never let go. The journey was not easy, I always knew what I’d have to fight against and endure. Life itself proved to me that the effort would have to be triple being gay if I wanted to reach the national team, which I achieved at age 19. A few years later, I became the team captain and the first openly gay player in the history of the country on a representative team.

Sports opened many doors for me. Being a high-performance athlete taught me the bases of responsibility, perseverance, and above all the strength to believe in yourself and your dreams. But most importantly... the feeling and pride of being yourself.

The Gay Games project is very important to me. Now as the president of the Mexican Federation of Sports for Diversity, I can extend the feeling of belonging to many more people who without this opportunity would surely never have the option in their lives to be part of such empathic, freeing, and amazing event. Working to bring the Gay Games to Mexico and Latin America for the first time fills me with satisfaction and pride. For the first time, we’ll have the opportunity to open our doors and receive athletes from all over the world, doing what we do best: be welcoming and excellent hosts.

The Gay Games will also be an essential part of the process of identity, acceptance, and integration of the LGBTQI+ community in society itself. The games take place at the best time, just when the topic has taken on great importance in our country. I am sure that it will be the first great project of many more that we’ll dream of and achieve with hard work and dedication.

Juan Carlos with Alfonso Jackson (Mexico national volleyball Alfonso (national team volleyball member

)

Juan Carlos (L) with Ricardo Vazquez, mentor and life long friend

I’d like to dedicate this project and this dream to two great friends, who, like many of us, went ahead on the path of life - Alfonso Jackson, a great companion in the game and a thousand adventures, and Ricardo Vázquez, a great friend and guide through my first steps in the gay life. I know they will be happy about the Gay Games taking place in our country and will share with me the joy when we finally have them at home.

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Read the entire "Passing The Torch" series as it is posted daily HERE.