Caroline Symons has competed in only one Gay Games, swimming in Amsterdam in 1998. She swam with a Melbourne team, Glamourhead Sharks, but did not win a medal.
But her golden moment in Gay Games history came this year, even before the Cologne, Germany, Gay Games VIII kick off July 31.
Symons, 49, a senior lecturer at Victoria University in Australia, is the author of The Gay Games: A History, published in London by Routledge. She was a 2009 Federation of Gay Games Legacy Award winner and, in June, received the main award for contributions to GLBTI sport in Victoria, her home state, from the top GLBTI organization in Victoria.
"This is not my first book, but it is my first fully researched and authored book," she told Windy City Times. "The history is based in part on my Ph.D., with extra chapters on the Sydney, Chicago and Montreal events. ( Montreal was an offshoot, and not an actual Gay Games, after it pulled out of negotiations with the Federation of Gay Games for hosting the 2006 Games; that's when Chicago re-bid and won the hosting rights in early 2004. )
Symons' Ph.D. was a lot longer and more theoretical—the book is a significantly revised version.
"The history of the Gay Games in itself is a really interesting story," she said.
Symons said she is "very pleased" with the 302-page book.
"It's a narrative and analysis of each Games, how they were organized and [ how each ] turned out, challenges, achievements, main leaders and contributors, as well as the broader context and social, economic and political meanings and impacts."
Gender, sexuality and sport are central issues in the book.
Symons said her favorite chapter focuses on Gay Games II, held in 1986 in San Francisco, mostly because of the significance and impact of HIV/AIDS on the Gay Games. Games' founder Dr. Tom Waddell died soon after those Gay Games.
"I have documented the more conventional beginnings of the Gay Games as well as their basis as an alternative multisport event," Symons said. "There are lively tensions between this desire of organizers and many participants to mainstream the Gay Games as a legitimate sport and cultural mega-event with mass understanding and appeal—and those tensions created by the diverse communities participating in the Gay Games and their different interests and perspectives especially concerning the organization and engagement with sport.
So which of the seven to date was the best Games?
"All [ have been ] different and each has their best parts, strengths and detractions," she said. "I enjoyed Amsterdam because I participated more fulsomely—in sport and getting to so many aspects of the Games, including the conference at the start, Opening and Closing [ Ceremonies ] , competing in the swimming, the FGG meeting, and many cultural festival events. The sense of really 'taking over' this walking city—being such a gay and festive atmosphere was also fun—and having an equal cultural and sport program, along with human rights emphasis was fabulous. Amsterdam was also very international."
She said the sports program in Sydney in 2002 was "so well organized, probably the best of any Gay Games." She added that the opening ceremony in Sydney "was really special and the policies of inclusion were also strong, with transgender and indigenous peoples being more integrated into the overall program.
"Sydney became well known for its deficit and crisis-management, but the Games themselves went very well."
As for Chicago in 2006, Symons noted that it was "organized in challenging circumstances—a real achievement in getting them on within half the time of other Games." She added that Chicago had "very dedicated organizers [ and ] volunteers with a strong commitment to the Gay Games movement, keeping it alive and successful, breakthrough sponsorship and media coverage, difficulties with a heat wave and problems with the sport program, not very international, [ more of ] an American Games."
She added: " [ The Chicago ] Games were proudly American in attendance, ceremonies and programming, as well as in the preservation of Gay Games history and founding principles." [ There were more than 11,500 participants representing nearly 70 nations, but each of the Gay Games, even those in Europe and Australia, had strong American participation because the Gay Games originated in the U.S. in 1982. ]
Symons said one of the biggest surprises she found while researching the book was the "pleasure in doing meticulous research, making lifelong friends, being someone that many in the Gay Games movement shared important stories and confidences with. She said she is "very honored and humbled by this and take my role as their storyteller and weaver of significance and meaning very seriously and ethically."
To order The Gay Games: A History, visit www.routledge.com . Symons added that it is also available through the FGG's website, www.gaygames.com .
Windy City Times Publisher Tracy Baim was co-vice chair of the Gay Games in Chicago, and she was interviewed for Symons' book.
