MARCH 3, 2006
that the breaststroke is my strongest stroke and I have the strongest chance to win
a medal [in that event]. I know what I’m up against, and I have a clear idea of how
hard 1 need to train. My goal is to better my times and win a medal.”
Everything You Ever Wanted
to Know About the Gay Games
Cristy Barsky
Competition has been a part of life for as long as Cristy Barsky can remember.
She learned to play pool and chess as a child, and her passion for sports that
strengthened her mind led her to excel in both pursuits. In addition to winning sev­
eral chess championships, Barsky learned an important lesson.
“I trained under a teacher who taught me that it was OK to be passionate about
a sport and the challenge of competing,” the 59-year-old says. “I developed a love
for competition that is still with me.”
A decade ago, Barsky took a break from a chess tournament and went to play p<x>l
with another competitor. It had been years since she had played, but she was hcxiked
at once. She hired two experienced teachers and began to play competitively.
In 1994, Barsky traveled to the Gay Games in New York to play pool against
some of the most talented players in the world. Her participation in the Games did
not just earn her both gold and silver medals; it also cemented friendships with par­
ticipants from around the world.
“The impact of the Games was huge,” she says. “It was such a rich gay environ­
ment, and there was an incredible sense of having built an international community.”
The experience was so powerful that Barsky traveled to the Netherlands to par­
ticipate in the 1998 Gay Games and plans to be in Chicago this summer, too. This
time she will be participating in golf, a sport that she has loved for decades but has
just begun playing seriously in recent years.
“1 was never sure how to compete in golf other than to go and play at a local
course,” she says. “1 started reading a lot and talking to people about my game and
playing whenever I could afford to.”
Eventually Barsky began working with a golf pro and playing in a golf league in
Hood River and has seen her game improve dramatically. She admits that she is not
as confident about her skills in golf as she is about her skills in p<x>l or chess, but her
passion for the sport continues to act as a motivator.
“1 am using the energy of the experience to move my game forward,” she says.
“The hard work of lessons and improving my short game are my focus right now; by
the time 1 get to the Games, 1 hope to give it everything that I’ve got.’ ©
T eam OREGON hosts a fund-raiser 7 pm. April 22 at Hollywood Bowl, 4030 N.E.
Halsey St. Admission, which covers three games of bowling and shoe rental, is just $15.
The profits will help offset costs for athletes traveling to the Gay Games and the
Outgames. For more information visit www.teamoregon2006.org.
J odi H elmer is a Beaverton free-lance writer whose work has appeared in
Entrepreneur, Curve, Yoga Journal and Just Out. Visit her online at
www .jodihelmer. com.
Curious to learn more about the Gay Games? Read on for the
answers to some commonly asked questions.
Why were the Gay Games started?
The Gay Games were founded in 1982 under the direction of
Tom Waddell. The intent of the Games was to change social and
political attitudes toward the sexual minorities community around
the world by promoting participation and self-acceptance. Since
then, cities such as San Francisco; Vancouver, British Columbia;
and Amsterdam, the Netherlands, have played host to athletes
from dozens of different countries.
Why are the Games important?
One of the biggest effects that the
Gay Games have had is on the ath­
letes. Countless queer athletic and cul­
tural organizations have been formed
as a result of the Games. As a result,
the athletes are free to participate in
an environment that preserves dignity
and respect.
The Games have also forced the
examination of politically sensitive
issues of inclusion of HIV-positive and
transgender people before mainstream
organizations were willing to do so.
Are the Gay Games just a gay version of the Olympic
Games?
No. The two events serve very different missions. The
Olympics are an elite event that requires athletes to qualify
through competition, while the Gay Games are designed to allow
everyone to participate regardless of experience or skill level.
How big is the queer sports movement?
It is huge and continues to grow. Since 1994 each Gay Games
has drawn more than 12,000 participants. More than 250,000
spectators turned out to watch the 1998 Gay Games in
Amsterdam, and it is estimated that 500,000 spectators watched
the 1994 Gay Games in New York.
Do the Gay Games hurt the way that gay athletes are
perceived?
Absolutely not. In fact, many athletes describe the Games as a
life-altering and personally empowering experience. The Games
prove that queer athletes, just like straight athletes, love sports and
the sense of community that they provide.
Why are two different events being staged in two different
cities?
Montreal originally was to host the
2006 Gay Games, but local organizers
and the Federation of Gay Games
could not agree on financial matters
and attendance expectations, and
Montreal set off on its own. The 2006
Games then relocated to Chicago. ©
Cristy Barsky, who
earned gold and
silver medals in pool
during the 1994 Gay
Games in New York,
is trying her hand at
golf this time
around.
G ay G ames VII S ports ■ and
C ultural F estival will be held from
July 15 to 22 in Chicago. For details
visit www.gaygameschicago.org.
The first W orld O utgames will be
held from July 29 to Aug. 5 in
Montreal. For details visit
www. montreal2006. org.
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