2012... Leap Year, Republican & Democratic conventions & the Presidential Election, The End Of The World, & the London Summer Olympics!
Johnny Weissmuller, Ian Thorpe, Matt Biondi, Michael Phelpes, & of course Mark Spitz... I am zany for Olympic swimmers! Olympic medalist Mark Tewksbury was closeted throughout his competitive swimming career, but since coming out has become an advocate for GLTB rights. Going into Barcelona, Tewksbury was ranked 4th in the world & most experts picked one of the powerful American swimmers to win gold. Tewksbury's gold medal was Canada's first at the Barcelona games and the first Canadian gold in swimming since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, which Russia boycotted. Tewksbury also won a bronze medal in the relay event in Barcelona. He made the cover of Time magazine. He was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, & the International Swimming Hall of Fame & was named Canada’s Male Athlete of the Year.
In December 1998, Tewksbury announced that he was gay. He was the first Canadian athlete to voluntarily state his homosexuality & his announcement drew great public attention. In 1998, he lost a 6-figure contract as a motivational speaker because he was "too openly gay."
Like many gay athletes, Tewksbury competed for years while in the closet. Tewksbury: "The only gay swimmer I knew of was Greg Louganis & he was spoken of terribly behind the scenes because of his sexuality. So in that regard, it pushed me further back into the closet."
In 2006, Tewksbury wrote an book: Inside Out: Straight Talk from a Gay Jock, in which he speaks of the infighting among organizers of the Olympics, as well as the Gay Games & newly formed Out Games. He resigned from the International Olympic Committee over the lack of accountability, accusing the IOC of rampant corruption. He was also part of a group of former Olympic athletes who pushed for the resignation of IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch. Only months after the scandal surrounding the Salt Lake City Games broke, Tewksbury became known as a critic of the IOC & demanded reforms to the system.
Tewksbury: “I gazed around the room slowly. The best swimmers from Russia, Cuba, the United States, Spain, Germany and France were in front of me. & I was different. I was the fag. & in that moment I owned my truth completely. I thought, ‘If these guys knew how hard it was for me to get here, they wouldn't believe it. They have no bloody clue what I have been through. Or how strong I am.’ ”
Tewksbury is candid about embarrassing, humorous & unflattering things about his personal life, including his involvement in a serious 3way relationship with a gay couple & his persistent pursuit of a professional male escort.
In December 2008 Tewksbury was invited by the government of France to speak at the United Nations in NYC on the day that a declaration was introduced that affirms gay rights & seeks to decriminalize homosexuality around the globe.
In 2009 Tewksbury was inducted into Canada's LGBT Human Rights Hall of Fame, the Q Hall of Fame Canada, in honor of his outstanding achievements & efforts to end discrimination in the sports world. he has been named the chef de mission of the 2012 Canadian Summer Olympic team.
Tewksbury lives on Canada with his husband- Benjamin Kiss, a Swiss figure skater. He turns 43 years old today.
Johnny Weissmuller, Ian Thorpe, Matt Biondi, Michael Phelpes, & of course Mark Spitz... I am zany for Olympic swimmers! Olympic medalist Mark Tewksbury was closeted throughout his competitive swimming career, but since coming out has become an advocate for GLTB rights. Going into Barcelona, Tewksbury was ranked 4th in the world & most experts picked one of the powerful American swimmers to win gold. Tewksbury's gold medal was Canada's first at the Barcelona games and the first Canadian gold in swimming since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, which Russia boycotted. Tewksbury also won a bronze medal in the relay event in Barcelona. He made the cover of Time magazine. He was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, & the International Swimming Hall of Fame & was named Canada’s Male Athlete of the Year.
In December 1998, Tewksbury announced that he was gay. He was the first Canadian athlete to voluntarily state his homosexuality & his announcement drew great public attention. In 1998, he lost a 6-figure contract as a motivational speaker because he was "too openly gay."
Like many gay athletes, Tewksbury competed for years while in the closet. Tewksbury: "The only gay swimmer I knew of was Greg Louganis & he was spoken of terribly behind the scenes because of his sexuality. So in that regard, it pushed me further back into the closet."
In 2006, Tewksbury wrote an book: Inside Out: Straight Talk from a Gay Jock, in which he speaks of the infighting among organizers of the Olympics, as well as the Gay Games & newly formed Out Games. He resigned from the International Olympic Committee over the lack of accountability, accusing the IOC of rampant corruption. He was also part of a group of former Olympic athletes who pushed for the resignation of IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch. Only months after the scandal surrounding the Salt Lake City Games broke, Tewksbury became known as a critic of the IOC & demanded reforms to the system.
Tewksbury: “I gazed around the room slowly. The best swimmers from Russia, Cuba, the United States, Spain, Germany and France were in front of me. & I was different. I was the fag. & in that moment I owned my truth completely. I thought, ‘If these guys knew how hard it was for me to get here, they wouldn't believe it. They have no bloody clue what I have been through. Or how strong I am.’ ”
Tewksbury is candid about embarrassing, humorous & unflattering things about his personal life, including his involvement in a serious 3way relationship with a gay couple & his persistent pursuit of a professional male escort.
In December 2008 Tewksbury was invited by the government of France to speak at the United Nations in NYC on the day that a declaration was introduced that affirms gay rights & seeks to decriminalize homosexuality around the globe.
In 2009 Tewksbury was inducted into Canada's LGBT Human Rights Hall of Fame, the Q Hall of Fame Canada, in honor of his outstanding achievements & efforts to end discrimination in the sports world. he has been named the chef de mission of the 2012 Canadian Summer Olympic team.
Tewksbury lives on Canada with his husband- Benjamin Kiss, a Swiss figure skater. He turns 43 years old today.
No comments:
Post a Comment