Pride House: Safe Haven at the Olympic Games

With homophobia still rampant in the world of sports, the Vancouver Games have something new that has never been previously done before: an unofficial safe haven for gay competitors. With fears of outing and/or loss of promotional endorsements, not to mention competition on an unbelievably high level, the goal of Pride House is provide a sense of safety and welcome. It is unfortunate that in the 21st century it is still necessary for gays to face such bigotry, but sports seems to be one of the remaining bastions of homophobia. In a CBC article, a former Olympian describes his feeling of being in "enemy territory" during past Olympic games. I look forward to the day when no one will care who one loves and instead look merely to one's athletic prowess. Here are some story highlights:
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Pride House, in the heart of Vancouver's West End, is welcoming the world. The first of its kind at an Olympics, the unofficial pavilion is tucked away on a quiet side street in Vancouver's gay village, striving to be an education centre and a safe and welcoming venue for gay and lesbian athletes, coaches, friends and families.
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Canadian swimmer and former Olympian Mark Tewksbury, visiting Pride House during the Games' opening weekend, said such a venue would never have been tolerated when he was competing. Tewksbury, who announced he was gay in 1998, won gold and bronze medals in the 1992 Barcelona Games and a silver medal in Seoul in 1988.
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"Being at the Olympics was like being in an occupied country where you're never sure who you can talk to," said Tewksbury, who published the book Inside Out: Straight Talk from a Gay Jock in 2006. "If I made a mistake, it could have been the end of my livelihood and that climate is definitely [still] present."
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A sister Pride House has opened in Whistler, a rowdy pavilion considered a popular party venue. Vancouver's Pride House is much quieter, located three kilometres (a 20-minute walk) from B.C. Place and the centre of the Olympic Village.
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In his opinion, Pride House is a step in the right direction, but added it's not about athletes coming out at the Games. "The value [of Pride House] is not so much about gay people coming out, but straight people coming in. [That is] what will empower the gay teenagers [whether they are athletes or not] to feel comfortable enough to come out," Tewksbury said.

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Truth be told, we are just like everyone else - would that more folks could recognize this simple fact.