Whistler Reaches Out to Gay Olympians
GayWhistler, in partnership with the Pan Pacific Whistler Village Hotel, has announced that Pride House, a safe space for gay athletes, is being set up for gay athletes at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. While it’s not unusual for communities to get their own clubhouse at the Olympics, Pride House is the first official attempt to reach out to gay people in Olympic history.
The world of sports is one of the last places in western culture where homophobia remains the norm. Gay althletes are under enormous pressure to hide their lives and loved ones from fellow athletes and the media. In this sense, I think Pride House is a wonderful opportunity to reach out and make gay altheletes feel safer. A lot better than the Shame House from the 1988 Olympics, at least.
- Gay athletes get ‘safe space’ at Olympics [Montreal Gazette]