The Games

World OutGames, AntwerpBelgium, 2013:  WorldOutgames Antwerpen 2013 is dedicated to producing a world class LGBTQ global event in August of 2013 promoting three pillars of activity: fair play in sports, cultural engagement, and universal human rights awareness. By bringing together a palette of diverse talents, the organization sustains the credo that simply joining in such an event is a triumph winning the games is an added benefit. The LGBTQ reference population invites Antwerp and sportsmen and women the world over to participate in an inclusive celebration of Love United.

World Outgames is a quadrennial global event, hosted by a selected city, for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Intersex (LGBTQI) community and their open minded friends, based upon three equal pillars:

SPORT – The World Outgames are the quadrennial global sport championships, in about 35 different sports.

CULTURE – The World Outgames offer an international cultural festival, where the host city starts from certain topics or themes that it wants to emphasize. Educational creativity celebrates and offers event for each target group.

HUMAN RIGHTS – The unique character of the World Outgames is created by organizing a big global human rights conference, with primal attention to LGBTQI rights. The subjects are grouped into six main themes: Social, Cultural, Political, Economic, Academic and Health. Upon the guidance of the IAG (International Advisory Group), the participants debate with each other. It’s the task of the IAG to deliver experts in the field of these debates and to work on political pressure.

These three elements provide a big professional event, where tolerance, diversity, hospitality,social innovation, sports and culture take a central place.

Gay Games, Cleveland, OH 2014 - TheGay Games have a rich history—and Greater Cleveland is poised to become part of that history as the host of the 2014 games. Adding to the traditions ofSan Francisco,Vancouver,Sydney,New York City,Amsterdam,Chicago andCologne,Northeast Ohiois eager to welcome the 13,000+ artists and athletes from around the globe who are expected to participate in over 30 events at Gay Games IX.

In addition to the exciting sporting events, the Gay Games offers cultural events like concerts, theme parties, and exhibitions, as well as a festival village where athletes, community members, families, and other visitors can enjoy time together.  Built upon the principles of Participation, Inclusion, and Personal Best™, the Gay Games have empowered thousands of LGBT athletes and artists through sport, culture, and fellowship since 1982. The Federation of Gay Games is the non-profit umbrella organization comprised of individuals and organizations from six continents that manages the Gay Games, safeguards its founding principles, and promotes the Games’ 29 year history of inspiration and achievement.

Federation of Gay Games (FGG) - The mission of the Federation of Gay Games is to promote equality through the organization of the premiere international LGBT and gay-friendly sports and cultural event known as the Gay Games.

While particular emphasis is placed on these specific goals, it is a fundamental principle of the Federation of Gay Games that all activities conducted under its auspices shall be inclusive in nature and that no individual shall be excluded from participating on the basis of sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, political belief(s), athletic/artistic ability, physical challenge, age, or health status.

Built upon the principles of Participation, Inclusion, and Personal Best, since 1982 the Gay Games have empowered thousands of LGBT athletes and artists through sport, culture, and fellowship.

The Gay Games were conceived in 1980 by Dr. Tom Waddell as a "vehicle of change."

In 1981, gay athletes were a hidden and marginalized community within the greater marginalized and beleaguered LGBT community. Being gay and being an athlete was an either-or proposition: be a jock or be a queer. All of that changed when the athletes marched into San Francisco’s Kezar Stadium in 1982.

GLISA - North America - The North America Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation (NAGLSF) (dba GLISA North America) is a democratically governed, regional association of LGBT sport organizations in the United States and Canada. Modeled after existing multi-sport organizations, GLISA North America’s members are sport teams, clubs, and associations throughout Canada and the United States.

The work of GLISA North America can be described as the ‘four pillars’:

1. to nurture and grow LGBT sport world-wide, year in and year out, through outreach, member services, and the sharing of knowledge and best practices among member organizations.
2. to partner with mainstream sport, human rights and cultural organizations that share our mission to make all places safe for GLBTQ athletes to play
3. to deliver North America Outgames, every four years with World Outgames in intervening
4. to professionalize the GLBTQ sport movement by building Outgames sports capacity, Human Rights sensitivity, and GLBTQ culture awareness and recognition,

GLISA - International - The Gay and Lesbian International Sport Association (GLISA) is an international gay and lesbian sport association. The focus of GLISA is developing gay and lesbian sport worldwide. GLISA does this through sanctioning world and continental games, creating a global calendar of LGBT sport events, fostering the creation of new LGBT federations, clubs and teams, supporting existing LGBT sport organizations, working in partnership with other sport organization to pursue this mandate, and providing the financial framework to support GLISA's global efforts. 

GLISA was formed out of the Montreal 2006 Gay Games VII organizers. When the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) withdrew sanction of Montreal, because of a dispute of the size of the event; and re-awarded Gay Games VII to Chicago. Montreal organizers vowed to continue nevertheless. Montreal found that EGLSF (European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation) was willing to sanction the event, and out of this sprung the new GLISA and the new sporting event, the World OutGames.