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Witness History: The Gay Games

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24/08/2022 GMT

The Gay Games

BBC World Service - Witness History, The Gay Games

The first ever Gay Games were held 40 years ago

The first international sports event for LGBT athletes was held in San Francisco in 1982.

It has been 40 years since the first ever Gay Games were held in San Francisco. Attracting a large crowd and featuring more than 1,000 athletes from more than 100 countries, the event was organised by a group of LGBT activists, including former Olympians, to raise awareness about homophobia in sport. The Gay Games are now held every four years at venues around the world. In 2019, Ashley Byrne spoke to organiser Sara Waddell Lewinstein and athlete Rick Tomin. A Made in Manchester production for BBC World Service.

Photo: An athlete at the first Gay Games. Credit: Getty Images.

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