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New Swimming Rules
For Gay Games Amsterdam 1998
by Paul van YperenThe organizers of Gay Games Amsterdam 1998 have responded to concerns regarding the age groups in the swimming competition taking place Aug. 2 & 8.
The competition is officially sanctioned by the international swimming body FINA. This approval insures that the performances of the 1,200 swimmers expected will be internationally recognized. In addition to this, the organizers are seeking recognition as a Master's tournament.
Standard categories for Masters' swimmers are in five year increments (25-29, 30-34 etc.); however, Gay Games Amsterdam 1998 will be altering the categories in the older age groups. This is in line with the Federation of Gay Games philosophy of participation and inclusion.
The number of swimmers registering in the older age groups is relatively small. The organizers have therefore decided to group men 65 or over, and women 60 years and older respectively, in the same category. This measure currently affects 4 women and 11 men. Any records established in the standard Master's age categories by these older participants, will still be valid.
The Swimming Competition during Gay Games Amsterdam 1998 will be the largest international swim meet organized. According to the organizers, it is undesirable for both the participants and the public to prolong an already full program with heats involving four people or less.
The organizers also want to prevent a situation where a swimmer wins a gold medal simply by being the only participant in his or her particular age group. Everyone taking part in Gay Games Amsterdam 1998 will already receive a participant's medal.
The original intention of the organizers was to have age categories up to 59 years. However, because of the large number of applications by older men, an extra category of 60-64 years has been added to the swimming program. Further age groups will be added to the program when sufficient numbers of swimmers per age group are reached.
RSVP is Gay Travel
RSVP is the undisputed Gay and Lesbian travel leader for the last decade. The demand for RSVP cruises is overwhelming and a fifth cruise has been added to the 1999 schedule as three cruises have sold out.
Charlie Rounds, president and CEO of RSVP Travel Productions, believes the success is based upon repeat customers who bring their friends and family with them. Chartering entire ships and resorts for Gay travel is the secret to repeat business. This allows RSVP to upgrade the entertainment and provide RSVP's legendary parties, games and activities.
1998 cruises are sold out and the next available cruise sails on February 4-13, 1999 out of Tampa. Openings are still available for October, 1998 resort vacation in Sonora Bay, Mexico.
RSVP is a wholesale tour company. Vacations must be purchased through travel agents. Information is available at www.rsvp.net.
3rd School Nixes
Indigo GirlsFarragut High School in Knoxville Tennessee on May 6 be came the third high school to cancel a scheduled appearance by the Grammy-winning Indigo Girls, both of whom are open lesbians. Principal Ed Hedgepeth followed Principal Ernest Chism of the Memphis-area Germantown High School in declaring that the duo's sexual orientation was not a factor, but that the cancellation of two scheduled free lunchtime concerts stemmed from their having used a word considered offensive in the course of performing at a high school in Atlanta, Georgia - but a co-editor of Farragut's student newspaper believes the opposite. Student newspapers were the vehicle for arranging the Indigo Girls' performances, through a network that more typically assists them in arranging interviews with musicians and reviews of new albums. Co-editor Kanishka Biddanda told the Associated Press, "It's understood by everyone that the show was canceled because the Indigo Girls are gay." About 50 Farragut students staged a demonstration at the flagpole as school closed May 6, protesting Hedgepeth's decision. Some of their signs read, "Homophobia is a Social Disease" and "Free Speech is Dead at FHS."
Indigo Girl Amy Ray agreed that sexual orientation was the real issue, telling the Knoxville "News Sentinel" that, "I think the citing of it as a profanity issue is a red herring. It's ironic because in eight records we've put out we have one ... profane word, and [we] probably get accused more of being too spiritual and clean-cut by our comrades in the music business, so I think this is definite homophobia." The Indigo Girls moved their appearance to an early evening slot at another venue, the B&H Club, taking on all of the $6,000 cost themselves. Because the sexual orientation issue has been raised, Ray and co-Indigo Emily Saliers are prepared to discuss it at that non-school site. The band had a trouble-free appearance at a Nashville high school on May 4.
Meanwhile, a dozen students walked out of their classes May 7 at South Carolina's Irmo High School at the hour when the Indigo Girls would have been performing, had not Principal Gerald Witt canceled the appearance in response to parent calls regarding their sexual orientation. Witt has made himself available for students who wish to speak with him, and has encouraged teachers to allow students to discuss the situation, but has also made clear that any "walk out" by students will be punished with detention according to the usual guidelines for tardiness and absence. [NewsPlanet]
Virginia Newspaper Rejects
Gay Youth Scholarship Ad
As "Objectionable"A youth advocacy group found itself unable to let students know about a scholarship when the Richmond Times Dispatch (RTD) recently rejected the ad as "objectionable or questionable." The ad read, "College Scholarships for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Youth Age 21 and under apply to Richmond Organization for Sexual Minority Youth (ROSMY) 804.353.1699."
According to ROSMY Executive Director Chris Clarke, the RTD Advertising Director said that, "We take our readers into consideration and don't want to offend them."
According to Adam Silvey, recipient of ROSMY's first scholarship, "I respect the RTD's right to reject the ads that run in their paper but I question their rejection of this ad. What's objectionable about college scholarships? Are they saying that I, as a young Gay man who received one of these scholarships, am objectionable?" [GLAAD]
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