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63-635: The Gay Games is a worldwide sport and cultural event that promotes acceptance of sexual diversity , featuring lesbian , gay , bisexual , and transgender ( LGBTQ ) athletes, artists and other individuals. Founded as the Gay Olympics , it was started in the United States in San Francisco, California , in 1982, as the brainchild of Olympic decathlete (Mexico City 1968) and medical doctor Tom Waddell , Brenda Young, and others, whose goals were to promote

126-458: A 1981 Drama Desk Award nomination. Her next role, which she began to act at age 21, was the role for which she became best known: the role of Effie Melody White in the Broadway musical Dreamgirls . Holliday originated the role of Effie and remained with the show for nearly four years after its December 20, 1981 opening. Her performance was widely acclaimed, particularly in her iconic rendition of

189-545: A Q&A held over April and May 2013. A shortlisting vote took place on May 31, 2013, resulting in the shortlisting of Limerick, London and Paris as the final three cities to continue on the 2018 Bid cycle. Shortlisted cities received a 4-day visit (inspection sites) from a team of FGG inspectors (4 delegates + 1 CM) in July 2013. The final vote took place in Cleveland (Ohio, USA) during the 2013 Annual General Assembly. On 7 October, Paris

252-480: A cameo in the film.) More recently, it became possible to see Holliday in a YouTube video, singing a duet with Hudson. The two actresses-singers performed their live duet at a concert Hudson gave on April 16, 2009. The YouTube video has been viewed more than 1.3 million times as of July 2021. On October 17, 2011, Holliday appeared on The Wendy Williams Show where, following a sit-down interview, Holliday performed "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" and received

315-505: A half dozen appearances in a recurring guest star role on Ally McBeal , where she acted out the role of choir director Lisa Knowles, often singing popular ballads. In 2001, Holliday opened Unforgiven by singing " America the Beautiful ", which was the first WWE pay-per-view to be held after the September 11 terrorist attacks . On June 26, 2007, Holliday made a surprise appearance at

378-569: A huge diversity of typologies and preferences that vary from an exclusive heterosexuality to a complete homosexuality ( Kinsey scale ). Sexual diversity includes intersex people, those born with a variety of intermediate features between women and men. It also includes transgender and transsexed people, genderfluid people, and so on. Lastly, sexual diversity also includes asexual people, who feel disinterest in sexual activity; and all those who consider that their identity cannot be defined, such as queer people. Socially, sexual diversity

441-485: A larger-than-life Jennifer Holliday and a waif-thin Luther Vandross. The music, however, is uniformly exciting, mesmerizing and sets the highest-of-high standard for gospel arrangements. You will seldom see a major gospel show without a musical reference to this concert's arrangements. Holliday became popular with LGBT events and fundraisers, which she acknowledged on her gospel album On & On . Because of this,

504-523: A nightclub where she was singing, they married. "He had a great sense of humor and he made me laugh all the time," Holliday says of her first husband. "I had been feeling bad for so long, I wanted to laugh." But in December 1991, just nine months later, they divorced; the marriage, according to Holliday, "ran out of steam." She explained of Meadows: "We just didn't know each other well enough." Her second marriage, which began on March 21, 1993, and ended in 1994,

567-455: A spectacular three-meter springboard exhibition between events. The sporting events of Gay Games IV expanded to thirty one from previous years, including but not limited to, flag football, figure skating, and the first ever internationally sanctioned women's wrestling. The 1998 games took place in Amsterdam , Netherlands , from August 1 to 8, 1998. The opening and closing ceremonies took place in

630-601: A standing ovation from the studio audience. On May 23, 2012, Holliday performed "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" alongside American Idol finalist Jessica Sanchez during the American Idol Season 11 finale. On October 2, 2018, Holliday surprised the seven year old viral singing sensation, Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja on GMA Day, and they performed a duet of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going". On July 30, 2020, Jennifer Holliday sang “Only What You Do for Christ Will Last” as well as "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" at

693-431: A substantial amount of weight and talked about her health struggles with depression during promotional interviews. Initially, the weight loss was attained strictly by diet. Eventually, in an effort to avoid regaining the weight, Holliday had gastric bypass surgery. After the initial weight loss, she released an LP and video titled I’m On Your Side. The video, unlike most videos, was recorded live. In 1995, Holliday released

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756-526: A successful recording artist. She is best known for her debut single, the Dreamgirls number and rhythm-and-blues/pop hit, " And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going ", for which she won a Grammy Award in 1983. She also won a 1982 Tony Award for Dreamgirls . Holliday landed her first big role on Broadway in 1979 at age 18, the same day she auditioned for the Broadway production of Your Arms Too Short to Box with God . Her performance in that musical earned her

819-545: Is also notable for being the first games in which Masters world records were set (two, in swimming). The opening and closing ceremonies were held at BC Place Stadium , which, 20 years later, hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics opening and closing ceremony , making it a historic venue for both events. The event was also heralded by controversy from social conservatives. A Fraser Valley church's members took out full page ads in The Vancouver Sun and The Province condemning

882-551: Is claimed as the acceptance of being different but with equal rights, liberties, and opportunities within the Human Rights framework. In many countries, visibility of sexual diversity is vindicated during Pride Parades . Jennifer Holliday Jennifer Yvette Holliday (born October 19, 1960) is an American singer and actress. She started her career on Broadway in musicals such as Dreamgirls (1981–83), Your Arms Too Short to Box with God (1980–1981) and later became

945-515: The Billboard Hot 100 . She continued to have success as a recording artist through the rest of the decade. Her follow-up song, " I Am Love ", became another hit in 1983. Holliday's later R&B hits included "Hard Time For Lovers" (1985), " No Frills Love " (1985), "I'm On Your Side" (1991) and "A Woman's Got the Power" (2000). "A Woman's Got the Power" charted at number 7 in summer of 1999. It re-charted

1008-624: The Amsterdam Arena . The participants' medal was designed by the noted Dutch designer Marcel Wanders . The 2002 game took place in Sydney , New South Wales , from November 2 to 9, 2002. Sydney won the bid to host the games from other contenders which were Montreal , Toronto , Long Beach /Los Angeles and Dallas . The Games opening included a speech by out gay High Court of Australia Justice Michael Kirby and were officially opened by New South Wales Governor Professor Marie Bashir . When Gay Games VI

1071-483: The Atlantic Entertainment Group 's Director of Live Talent, Scott Sherman, produced and promoted many Jennifer Holliday events for several years, acting as both Holliday's de facto agent and as her road manager. Under Sherman's aegis, Holliday went on a series of special tours and promotions, one-night-only performances, LGBT pride appearances, and special fundraising events. In the 1990s, Holliday lost

1134-478: The BET Awards , singing "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" in a duet with Jennifer Hudson , who had played Effie White in the 2006 film adaptation of Dreamgirls , and won an Oscar for her performance. Holliday had not been offered a cameo role in the film and, feeling snubbed, had repeatedly expressed displeasure with the movie in the media. (Another original Dreamgirls cast member, Loretta Devine , did have

1197-676: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) under the U.S. Amateur Sports Act of 1978 , which gave the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) exclusive rights to the word Olympic in the United States. Defendants of the lawsuit contended that the law was capriciously applied and that if the Special Olympics were not similarly prohibited, the Gay Olympics should not be either. Others, like Daniel Bell, cite

1260-505: The St. James Theatre in 2002. As of late February 2011, Holliday was residing in Atlanta . Holliday suffers from clinical depression , and has spoken out about her struggle with the disorder. On her 30th birthday, Holliday attempted suicide by overdosing on pills; in an interview with CBS, Holliday stated: "I actually thought my life was over anyway, because I basically had gotten so big; I

1323-617: The 2022 bid process also suggested that Tel Aviv, Israel, would bid again, seeking to bring the Gay Games to the Middle East for the first time, although this did not materialise. The press release issued on February 29 by the FGG stated: "The Federation of Gay Games has received a record number of expressions of interest from cities around the globe desiring to be the host of the twelfth Gay Games XII to be held in 2026!" A shortlist of three Candidate Cities

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1386-456: The 25th-anniversary events of the Stonewall riots and were themed on "Unity". Actor Sir Ian McKellen gave the closing address at Yankee Stadium on June 25, 1994. There were over 15,000 participants that either competed in the sporting events or in cultural ceremonies in the Gay Games of 1994. Greg Louganis , multiple-time World and Olympic Champion diver, served as the announcer and performed

1449-630: The FGG announced that Cologne , Germany ; Johannesburg , South Africa ; and Paris , France , were the official candidate cities for Gay Games VIII in 2010. Cologne was elected at the FGG annual meeting in Chicago on November 14, 2005. The games were held in Cologne from July 31 to August 6, 2010. This marked the second time the games were held in Europe, with the first being in Amsterdam in 1998. On March 17, 2009,

1512-561: The FGG announced that groups from Boston , Massachusetts ; Cleveland , Ohio ; and Washington, D.C. , were finalists for the bidding to host Gay Games IX. On September 29, 2009, at the FGG Site Selection Meeting in Cologne, Germany, Cleveland was chosen as presumptive host of Gay Games IX in 2014. The host organization, Cleveland Special Events Corporation, later expanded the host city to include nearby Akron, Ohio. They also chose to style their event as "Gay Games 9" rather than

1575-450: The FGG announced that several requests from bidders to add new sports to the program of the games. Of these requests, that for the inclusion of polo was rejected, while those for archery, boxing, fencing, pétanque, roller derby and wheelchair rugby were approved. Of these, boxing, pétanque, roller derby and wheelchair rugby were included in the bids of the three finalist bidding organizations. Bid books were provided by February 28, 2013, with

1638-642: The Federation of Gay Games announced that eleven cities had submitted their Letter Of Intent to formally bid. Anaheim, Atlanta, Des Moines, Madison, Minneapolis and San Antonio decided not to pursue their option to bid. On July 31, 2016, nine cities submitted their second registration fee to remain in the bid process. Both Cape Town and Tel Aviv dropped out at this stage, stating an intention to bid for Gay Games XII in 2026. On November 30, 2016, Bid Books were submitted by eight candidate cities with Los Angeles dropping out at this stage. A shortlist of three Candidate Cities

1701-536: The Games. The items are available via VIVO Media Arts Centre 's archive, both in-person by appointment or digitally online. The fonds includes 143 unedited 30-minute Betacam recordings of sporting competitions, cultural events, opening and closing ceremonies, backstage activities and interviews with organizers, athletes, artists, community representatives, and opponents. The fond also includes 240 photographs, Celebration ’90 ephemera, and extensive textual materials, including

1764-563: The Gay Games flame which is lit at the opening ceremony. The games are open to all who wish to participate, without regard to sexual orientation, and there are no qualifying standards. Competitors come from many countries, including those where homosexuality remains illegal and hidden. The 1994 Gay Games, held in June in New York City to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots ,

1827-751: The Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 2001. On October 30, 1986, Paul Simon hosted a Ken Ehrlich -produced "Gospel Session" originally televised as part of a series of "Cinemax Sessions" featuring Holliday, Luther Vandross , The Oak Ridge Boys , Andrae Crouch , The Edwin Hawkins Singers , and the Mighty Clouds of Joy. The show began with Holliday singing " His Eye Is On The Sparrow ". Later, she returned to collaborate with Simon and Vandross on "Still Waters Run Deep," followed by an Aretha Franklin arrangement of " Bridge Over Troubled Water , "with

1890-502: The IOC's long history of protecting the Olympics brand as evidence that the lawsuit against the "Gay Olympics" was not motivated by discrimination against gays. Since 1910 the IOC has taken action, including lawsuits and expulsion from the IOC, to stop certain organizations from using the word "Olympics." Annual "California Police Olympics" were held for 22 years, from 1967 through 1989, after which,

1953-605: The LGBTQ+ community. There's acknowledgment of the difficulties faced, but the general sentiment is one of praise and thankfulness for a successful event in Hong Kong. Participants in Mexico overwhelmingly expressed gratitude and praise for the Gay Games in Guadalajara. They describe it as a life-changing and pure experience that blends sport, culture, coexistence, and community. Many commended

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2016-700: The Official Program. McEwen was a Vancouver-based LGBTQ activist, Gayblevision co-founder, and co-organizer of the first Out On Screen Film and Video Festival . The footage was shot in anticipation of a feature-length documentary entitled, "Legacy: The Story of the Gay Games" that McEwen was unable to complete due to insufficient funding. McEwen, a longtime VIVO member, bequeathed her personal archive to VIVO hoping that this footage would be made widely available. The 1994 games took place in New York City , New York , from June 18 to 25, 1994. The games coincided with

2079-462: The St. Louis Muny , Holliday reprised her role of Effie White in their production of Dreamgirls , running from July 16 to July 22, 2012. She has stated that she does not plan to return to the role again. Apart from her career in the music industry and on the stage , Holliday has also made appearances on primetime television . In addition to appearances on Touched by an Angel and Hang Time , she had

2142-467: The Stonewall Inn. The original sports that were offered at the first Gay Games were; basketball, billiards, bowling, cycling, diving, golf, marathon, physique, powerlifting , soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball and wrestling. 1,350 competitors whose origins ranged from over 170 cities worldwide competed in the first Gay Games. In order to achieve greater inclusion and diversity,

2205-407: The acronyms LGBTQ or LGBTQIA+ ( lesbian , gay , bisexual , asexual , transgender / transsexual people, and sometimes intersex people); however, other cultures have other ways of understanding the sex and gender systems . Over the last few decades, some sexology theories have emerged, such as Kinsey theory and queer theory , proposing that this classification is not enough to describe

2268-437: The event as proof of an "impending sodomite invasion" and encouraging residents to gather at Empire Stadium to pray against the event. The government of then-Premier Bill Vander Zalm refused to fund the event. Original video documentation, photographs, and textual records related to Celebration '90 Gay Games III, originally gathered by Forward Focus, artist Mary Anne McEwen's production company and official videographer of

2331-467: The featured performers during the closing ceremonies. There was an increase of competing athletes in the second Gay Games participants to over 3,500. The 1990 games took place in Vancouver , British Columbia , from August 4 to 11, 1990. Approximately 7,300 athletes took part in 27 sports, with another 1,500 cultural participants attending. This was the first games to be held outside the United States, and it

2394-404: The finale consisting of all the participants joining in " Gone at Last ", followed by " Amazing Grace ". A reviewer wrote: Ms. Holliday's performance and Simon's long-term repertoire of gospel-influenced songbook ("Bridge", " Gone at Last ", " Slip Slidin' Away ", and " Loves Me Like A Rock " [not included here] is the glue that holds the show together. Visually intriguing is the role reversal of

2457-472: The following year, peaking at number 1. She continued to appear on the charts throughout the 1990s, but never had the same level of success she had in the 1980s. Holliday was a featured vocalist on the number one single " I Want to Know What Love Is " by Foreigner in 1985. A number of her songs became hits on the US Dance charts as well. A dance version of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" peaked at number 6 on

2520-488: The former Olympian who helped found the games, intended them to be called the "Gay Olympics", but a lawsuit filed less than three weeks before 1982's inaugural Gay Olympics forced the name change. This forced volunteers to suspend the sales of buttons and t-shirts in order to remove the terms "Olympic" and "Olympiad" from medals, souvenirs, t-shirts, signs, and programs, which would cost the organization an estimated loss between $ 15,000 and $ 30,000. Event organizers were sued by

2583-449: The funeral of civil rights icon and congressman John Lewis at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. In 2022, Holliday competed in season seven of The Masked Singer as "Miss Teddy" of Team Cuddly. She was unmasked on April 13 alongside Duane Chapman as "Armadillo" of Team Good. Holliday has been married twice. In March 1991, just two months after she met keyboardist Billy Meadows in

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2646-561: The games had support from local government and essential services, and because there was a large gay and lesbian population in San Francisco that could serve as volunteers and leaders. The opening ceremonies, held in Kezar Stadium , began with former U.S. Olympians, George Frenn and Susan McGreivy lighting a flame that had been carried on a torch run across America, beginning in New York at

2709-527: The games or contribute. The FGG is planning on hosting the next Gay Games in 2026 in Valencia . From its statement of concept and purpose: The purpose of The Federation of Gay Games, Inc. (the “Federation”) shall be to foster and augment the self-respect of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and all sexually-fluid or gender-variant individuals (LGBT+) throughout the world and to promote respect and understanding from others, primarily by organising and administering

2772-454: The gospel album On & On. In a March 2008 interview, she revealed that she was in the studio working on a new album, to be released later that year. In April 2011, Holliday released a Christian CD titled Goodness and Mercy on her own Euphonic Records label. She produced it in conjunction and cooperation with the Rev. Raphael G. Warnock , later elected United States Senator from Georgia. At

2835-417: The international quadrennial sport and cultural event known as the "Gay Games." The 1982 games took place in San Francisco from August 28 to September 5, 1982. Singer Tina Turner performed at the opening ceremonies, and Stephanie Mills performed at the closing ceremonies. San Francisco was chosen as the location for the first Gay Games not only because it was the home of founder Tom Waddell, but also because

2898-482: The joy of being part of a global LGBTQ+ community. The Federation of Gay Games published the call for interested cities on 19 December 2019, and the official RFI was issued on January 31, 2020. Prospective bidding cities had to submit the response to the RFI by February 21, 2020. At the early stage, evidence on social media existed for a bid by Brisbane, Australia and Brighton & Hove, United Kingdom. Anecdotal evidence from

2961-539: The modern start of the LGBT movement in the United States, "overtook the Olympics in size" with 10,864 athletes compared to 9,356 at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and 10,318 at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics . The Federation of Gay Games (FGG) is the sanctioning body of the Gay Games which was founded in 1982 by Tom Waddell , after he dealt first-hand with the prejudice towards gay athletes and their inability to openly participate in sporting events. The Federation of Gay Games hosts

3024-489: The musical number that ends Act I, " And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going ." Among the acclaim was Holliday's sweep of awards in 1982, including the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical , a Grammy Award for her recorded version of the song, and Drama Desk Award and Theatre World Award for her acting performance. Holliday also performed in the touring company of Sing, Mahalia , Sing in 1985. In 1998, Holliday

3087-571: The organizers of the first Gay Games created outreach committees to attract and recruit athletes from minority groups including people of color, women, and rural lesbians and gays. Because Waddell disliked the nationalism of major sporting events like the Olympics, participants at the first games represented their cities rather countries, and competitive elements such as medal tallies, medal ceremonies, and recording athletic records were banned. The 1986 games took place in San Francisco from August 9 to 17, 1986. Singers Jennifer Holliday and Jae Ross were

3150-463: The organizers, highlighting the fantastic overall organization and the meaningful connection to local culture. Despite some acknowledging challenges, the general sentiment is one of appreciation, excitement, and a strong desire to participate again, particularly in Valencia 2026. The positive experiences range from the warmth of kindness, excellent event management, and the welcoming nature of Guadalajara to

3213-528: The same time," she remembered. "The grief was overwhelming." Holliday attended Texas Southern University . She later received a Doctor of Music honoris causa from Berklee College of Music , Boston in 2000. In 2001 she was presenter for the tap dance show 21 Below at the Town Hall in New York, and also appeared in the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS ' Nothing Like a Dame show at

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3276-464: The sexual complexity in human beings and, even, in other animal species . For example, some people may feel an intermediate sexual orientation between heterosexual and bisexual ( heteroflexible ) or between homosexual and bisexual ( homoflexible ). It may vary over time, too ( sexual fluidity ), or include attraction not only towards women and men, but to all the spectrum of sexes and genders ( pansexual ). In other words, within bisexuality there exists

3339-483: The spirit of inclusion and participation, as well as to promote the pursuit of personal growth in a sporting event. Waddell wanted to recreate the Olympics' power to bring people of various different backgrounds together through the international language of sport, and the organizers of the first event strived to accommodate differences and achieve gender parity. It retains similarities with the Olympic Games , including

3402-562: The traditional Roman numeral "Gay Games IX". On July 31, 2012, the FGG announced that seven cities had been approved as prospective bidders. The groups were from Amsterdam, Netherlands; Limerick , Ireland ; London , United Kingdom ; Orlando , Florida , United States; Paris, France; and a group proposing to host the Gay Games in either Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo , Brazil . By August 31, 2012, letters of intent to bid had been received from all groups except those in Brazil. In December 2012,

3465-465: The two sites, who took part in a week of sports and culture. The overwhelming tone of the comments from the Hong Kong participants was positive and appreciative. Participants and attendees congratulated the organizers on a job well done, expressing enjoyment and meaningful experiences at the Gay Games in Hong Kong. Many thanked the committee for their hard work, appreciating the inclusive atmosphere, and expressing gratitude for making history and supporting

3528-604: The word Olympics was no longer used for the event. The Supreme Court ruled for the USOC in San Francisco Arts & Athletics, Inc. v. United States Olympic Committee . Sexual diversity In the Western world , generally simple classifications are used to describe sexual orientation ( heterosexuals , homosexuals and bisexuals ), gender identity ( transgender and cisgender ), and related minorities ( intersex ), gathered under

3591-525: The world's biggest cultural and sporting event for the LGBTQ community every four years. The Federation of Gay Games is founded on the principles of "participation, inclusion, and personal best" and continues to support the LGBT community not only through the Gay Games but through scholarships for underprivileged members. The Federation of Gay Games continues to expand throughout the world and accepts members of any sexual orientation and nationality to participate in

3654-542: Was announced on March 1, 2017. Guadalajara, Hong Kong and Washington, DC, hosted site visits before the final decision on the host city was made in Paris on Monday 30 October, where Hong Kong was announced as the host city. Due to issues relating to the global coronavirus pandemic, the date of the Games was pushed back from 2022 to 2023. On 14 February 2022, Guadalajara was added as the co-host of this games. Both events were attended by over five thousand participants across

3717-794: Was announced on March 1, 2021. On November 11, 2021 in Brighton , United Kingdom , Valencia, Spain was selected as the host for 2026. Below is the official list of the candidate cities: The bidding process for Gay Games XIII 2030 opened in January 2024, with 21 cities on 6 continents showing interest. Below is the list of prospective candidate cities: Next steps in the bidding process will be: March 2024 - Request for Proposal May 2024 - Letter of Intent August 2024 - Preliminary Bid Books October 2024 - First in-person meetings December 2024 - Finalists announced June 2025 - Detailed Bid Books November 2025 - Host city announced Tom Waddell ,

3780-630: Was chosen to be in Sydney, Australia it was partially because of already present GLQBTI sport teams. The Sydney Gay Games were the first in the Southern Hemisphere and this was emphasized by the games theme "Under new skies". Gay Games VII were held in Chicago , Illinois , from July 15 to July 22, 2006. For more on the controversy surrounding Chicago's selection as host city, see Schism in LGBT sports communities over Gay Games VII below. On March 16, 2005,

3843-647: Was elected host city for the 2018 Gay Games. Hong Kong was announced as the host city of the 11th Gay Games, at a gala event at the Hotel de Ville in Paris, on October 30, 2017. They won with a clear majority of votes, in the first round of voting. It is the first time that the Gay Games have been held in Asia. The "longlist" of cities interested in bidding to host Gay Games XI in 2022 was announced in April 2016. An unprecedented seventeen cities were interested in bidding. On 30 June 2016,

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3906-455: Was featured on the album, My Favorite Broadway Ladies as one of "The Queens of Broadway." Holliday's version of the song "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" made her a star on Broadway and catapulted her to national stardom. In 1982, a pop version of the song was released as a single. The song became successful, peaking at number one on the Billboard R&;B chart , and number 22 on

3969-463: Was to Rev. Andre Woods, a minister in Detroit. Jet magazine covered the marriage in their April 19, 1993 issue. Though Woods was a charismatic Detroit preacher, she subsequently said that even so, he was a player who also ran through her money. Still, Holliday was devastated when, in 1994, that marriage, too, ended, just four months after her mother died of cancer. "It was like experiencing two deaths at

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