The First Gay Games

Today In History with The Retrospectors

Over 1,300 athletes from 12 countries gathered at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco for the first-ever Gay Games, on 28th August, 1982.

Intended as the “Gay Olympics,” the event had to change its name at the last minute after the US Olympic Committee sued. But the opening ceremony was electric, with none other than Tina Turner performing at a pivotal moment in her career - a bold and unprecedented move for a superstar at a gay event in the early ‘80s.

The brainchild of Olympic decathlete Tom Waddell, the Games were intended to show that you could be openly gay and still achieve greatness - even in a city and community plagued by HIV. Waddell prioritized inclusion over nationalism, having athletes march by city instead of country, and selected a Black gay man and cancer survivor, Richard Hunter, to light the cauldron - symbolizing unity and resilience.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly marvel at the diversity of the opening parade; reveal the child that was conceived as a direct result of the event; and consider why the Games have never been televised…

Further Reading:

• ‘Tom Waddell, the amazing man behind Gay Games’ (ESPN, 2014): https://www.espn.com/story/_/id/11305954/tom-waddell-amazing-man-gay-games

• ‘The Gay Games are still relevant. Here’s why’ (The Conversation, 2018): https://theconversation.com/the-gay-games-are-still-relevant-heres-why-101104

• ‘Remembering the first Gay Games’ (BBC World Service, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVVD0Ww3qmo

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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart

Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.

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