Pia Allersev. Photo by Ross Forman
Pia Allerslev has already cancelled her family's summer vacation, so she can stay in Copenhagen when the 2009 World Outgames are held there July 25-Aug. 2. She's not sure what she's going to participate in, especially after a friend told her that, well, she wasn't talented enough for his handball team.
"Now I'm trying to find another sport," she said, laughing. "I'm planning on participating in badminton; I was a local champion many years ago, but that was years ago."
And maybe the Mermaid Swim Team. Or a running event.
Ultimately, Allerslev will register and participate, thus becoming one of Denmark's highest-ranking participants in the Outgames. She is, after all, the Mayor for Culture and Leisure for the City of Copenhagen, one of six Mayors under the highest-ranking Lord Mayor.
"I expect a week of happy people," in Copenhagen during the Outgames, said Allerslev. "I think all of the participants will be very good ambassadors for the World Outgames and also for Copenhagen. The city of Copenhagen is very interested in hosting this, and to send a clear signal that we will not tolerate discrimination because of sexual orientation. We will not tolerate hate crimes.
"We want the people of Copenhagen to know that this is a great event taking place. We want the people of Copenhagen to take part in the Outgames, as participants or spectators. We want to send a very strong signal to the world that it's very important to fight for the rights of the LGBT community. I think the City of Copenhagen, and Denmark as a country, are very good in that voice, that matter."
Allerslev is straight, happily married to Christian Simonsen with two children: daughter Freja, 4; and son Valdemar, 3. Still, she is one of Denmark's biggest supporters of the Outgames. However, two of the six mayors in Copenhagen are openly gay: Klaus Bondam and Jacob Hougaard.
And yes, the city of Copenhagen truly is a strong supporter of the 2009 World Outgames, which will be showcased by 38 sports disciplines and a three-day human rights conference.
The city has spent more money on this event, such as improving venues for the event, than any other single event. The city is spending about $4.5 million USD on the Outgames.
"The amount of money we've spent on the World Outgames just shows that, yes, the city really wanted to host this event," Allerslev said. "It was a lot of money and something we had never done before."
So why do it?
"Because we think it's important; we think it's a great event; we think it's great for the city, for the tourism, to put Copenhagen on the map and show that we don't accept the fact that people are different just because they're homosexual; we want to show that everyone in the LGBT community is as equal as anyone in the world."
City officials rank the World Outgames as the third-biggest event in Copenhagen in 2009, only behind the October meeting of the International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) and the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December.
"No matter where you walk or drive in Copenhagen during the Outgames, it will be impossible to not see that the games are happening," Allerslev said. "I really want to have the Olympics held in Copenhagen one day, though a lot of people laugh when I say that. It's a great goal to aim for, and the World Outgames is one step in that direction—to show that we can host a large sporting event."
Is Copenhagen doing anything particular to ensure safety at the Outgames, especially near the Tel Aviv square in the OutCities, where you will find Jews and gays, thus there certainly is the potential for protests by certain religious, political and anti-gay groups?
"The organizers for the World Outgames are working very close with the police, and we're doing everything possible to prevent any possible hate-crimes. I don't want it to get to the point where you cannot go to the Tel Aviv square without seeing 200 policemen standing in line, just to protect the area. But of course we have to send some signals that it's safe to come here, thus there will be police around and I know they will take extra care of those areas where political-, religious- and sexual-orientation could be a problem."
Were there any politicians in Copenhagen who were against hosting the Games?
"No. None at all. Every single politician in the City of Copenhagen has supported this event. Even though there may be some politicians who personally are against homosexuality, none has expressed [ their views publicly, ] nor voted against the event."
Gays and lesbians can get married in Denmark, which has been the case since 1989. However, the verbiage recited during a gay wedding is different from that in a traditional man-woman wedding.
"Why is [ the verbiage ] different? That's so stupid. When I see a gay couple get married, they are as in love as my husband and I were when we got married. So why is the ritual different, just because they are homosexual? So, we're now trying to change the law.
"We were, are still are, so proud that the first gay marriage in the world took place in Copenhagen in 1989. I think the people of Denmark are pioneers in accepting homosexuals. That said, I think we still have a lot of fights that we still need to fight regarding homosexual rights."
What is your impression of America, especially after the passing of Proposition 8 in California and that there now are only a few states that allow civil unions?
"I was very disappointed when I saw that California had passed Proposition 8; I think it was a setback for the state of California. In some ways, I think America is far ahead of us, whereas other ways, we're far ahead of America. I think it's great that you have a city like San Francisco, with all of the things they have, do and offer for homosexuals. I've never been to Chicago, so I cannot comment about [ LGBT life ] there."
