Daily Archives: March 10, 2015



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Grateful for Our Strong Female Allies

Grateful for Our Strong Female Allies
Thank you to the lesbians who were our core strength and voices, who came to our sides and helped us do the dirty work while we were in shock. At that time morgues wouldn’t even take away the bodies of loved ones and friends that passed over.

Me, I am sure I was exposed in the early ’80s, and diagnosed in ’88, six months prior to the Olympic Games.

There were young men dying and health care workers in “hazmat” suiting covered head to toe. People were unwilling to touch, comfort or hold many of these dying, frightened men. It was the many members of the lesbian community and straight female allies that came to our aid.

When I was diagnosed, I thought I was going to “do the right thing” and pack my bags, travel from Florida where I was training and go back home to California and lock myself in my house and wait to die. This was my reality at that moment in time.

My cousin who was my doctor in Florida convinced me to stay and train — pointing out we don’t know how long I had been living with this virus in my body. But, he didn’t want anyone to know he was treating me, because he feared for his practice if word got out.

I had just over 200 t-cells, to qualify at that time for the only drug available for treatment, AZT. Dr. Anthony Fouche made it possible for me to purchase the medication, which was at the time prescribed as two pills every four hours around the clock and quite costly, physically and monetarily.

I was in a fight for my life on and off the diving boards — the Chinese had caught up to me by that time, which I couldn’t share. The “secret” grew too heavy a burden on the pool deck, so I finally confided in my coach, Ron O’Brien. He held me in his office as I wept, and told me, “we will get through this together.”

I was in an abusive relationship with a man who I thought at the time was what I deserved. I am grateful that diving gave me a purpose and goal to fight for. I also thank the support of Debbie and Kathy Shon, Dr. Sammy Lee’s nieces, for the self-esteem to leave that relationship once I returned to California.

It was Kevin Perry’s memorial I went to first, then I got word Jim Babbitt passed, but I didn’t think it appropriate to attend his memorial. It was a brutal separation that I paid for in so many ways.

I spoke at a Comprehensive AIDs Program luncheon this past Friday in West Palm Beach Florida. They arranged the tables dedicated to many I considered my friends, Peter Allen, Michael Jeter, Ryan White. I sat at the Arthur Ashe table.

I don’t write about this stuff much, I wrote it all in my book, Breaking Breaking the Surface and it is chronicled in the documentary, Back on Board.

This was my way of healing, by sharing so I could let that part of me go. It will always be a part of me, but I will not dwell in it. I needed to release it to the universe so I could move forward and live life!

Thank you Dino Hillas for sharing this, it is a part of my history, but I’m grateful it is “just a part.” I have much more to do, and I feel I have much more to offer this world. We may be living with this virus, but we live!

It is not a curse from God, it is a virus. It was not killing “the right people” it was killing people — people with amazing talent, brothers, friends, lovers, uncle’s, men and women, just people. The current generation didn’t live through it, so how can we help them understand?

Now today, I am happily married, legally in the the state I was born, to a beautiful man inside and out, Johnny Chaillot-Louganis. I would never have seen that coming!

It is like I have said, “Silence is often the best answer, but when it isn’t use your outdoor voice.” I was followed on my book tour in ’95 by Reverend Fred Phelps, with signs like “Die AIDs Faggot,” “You’ll Burn In Hell,” “God Hates Faggots” and pictures of me with 666 on my forehead.

My response was, “I feel like I should hand him a teddy bear and tell him he needs lots of hugs, because anyone who spews that much hate, can’t like themselves very much.”

I visit the past, but I don’t live there. I will share the past, but it is just that — the “past.” I am here now and ask, “How can I be in service to others?”

My dogs are my teachers — my Dobby, a blessing. Dobby’s mother Nipper taught me patience and laughter! RIP Nipper, and Freeway my guardians, my angels. Mom and Dad, I miss you. And, Mom, your wish did come true: I am still here and I know you are looking after me from above.

Shared with love, a glimpse into the past. Time to get ready for Phoenix Effect boot camp and Cycle House Spin.

Namaste,

Greg Louganis, Athlete

My response to this article.

www.huffingtonpost.com/greg-louganis/grateful-to-the-women-of-_b_6833860.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

NEWS

Houston Gay Activist Shot In Apparent Hate Crime

Houston Gay Activist Shot In Apparent Hate Crime

Gaspari

Between events like this one and this one, Houston has seen its share of anti-LGBT hatred in recent months. So it’s hardly surprising to see some of that hatred filtering down onto the streets. 

In fact, Houston has experienced a rash of anti-LGBT hate crimes of late. And amid all the rhetoric from opponents of the city’s Equal Rights Ordinance, is anyone really surprised? 

In the latest incident, Houston gay activist John Gaspari (shown above with Mayor Annise Parker) is recovering after being shot in the stomach in an apparent hate crime in the city’s Montrose gayborhood, Project Q Houston reports:

A gay Houston man was beaten, shot, robbed and called an anti-gay slur as he was attacked by three men while walking home from a Montrose gay bar.

John Gaspari was attacked near the intersection of Genesee and Cleveland – less than a half-mile from Meteor – as he walked from the bar about 3:30 a.m. on Feb. 15, according to KHOU and About Magazine. The robbers took his wallet, jewelry and cell phone, beat him and shot him in the stomach. Gaspari said the assailants yelled, “Get the fag.”

More from KHOU-TV: 

“I’m just really grateful to be alive,” said Gaspari, who spent nearly 2 weeks in the hospital. “My last memory was of them tackling me.” … 

“I probably won’t walk down the street alone anymore, I will wait for an Uber or drive,” he says.

According to About Magazine, a witness called police and reported Gaspari lying on the ground as the three suspects kicked him. The witness was able to get the license number from the suspects’ vehicle, which turned out to be stolen. Not surprisingly, police insist the incident was a random robbery, not a hate crime. 

Gaspari had recently lost his job, and supporters launched an Indiegogo fundraiser to help with expenses during his recovery, which could last 6-8 months. The fundraiser, which expired last week, raised $3,446: 

John has been so generous with his time and his money since moving to Houston several years ago. He has supported so many LGBT causes, organizations and events. Now its time for our community to rally in support of John.

As many of you know, John has had a string of bad luck since moving here. He faced constant gay-oriented discrimination and harassment at this job. And the Friday before the attack, he was laid off. But through it all, John has kept his sweet good humor and has been such an asset to our community.

It’s been 24 years since gay banker Paul Broussard was murdered on the streets of Houston, in one of the earliest and most notorious anti-gay hate crimes in US history. When will it end? 


John Wright

www.towleroad.com/2015/03/houston-gay-activist-shot-in-apparent-hate-crime.html

NEWS

What To Do When Your Friend Tells A Sexist Joke

What To Do When Your Friend Tells A Sexist Joke
“Make me a sandwich,” your friend pleads. Your crew laughs, assuming he’s just joking, but you’re cringing on the inside. Do you say something? Do you laugh along? What exactly do you do when a friend makes a sexist joke? Hannah Witton has some suggestions.

Created by the Moral Courage Channel, YouTube star Hannah Witton gives some helpful pointers when it comes to everyday sexism and how to combat it.

“It’s these kinds of casual jokes and the everyday language that we use that subtly help feed a culture of sexism,” Witton says in the video. This type of everyday sexism is what perpetuates gender inequality. In many cases, addressing it carefully and with patience can have the greatest impact.

Instead of laughing along with everyone else or starting a shouting match, here are three tips from Witton for addressing people when they make sexist jokes:

  1. Make it personal.

  2. Be respectful.

  3. Don’t expect immediate results.

“No matter how tempting it is, you don’t want to alienate people by shoving your opinion down their throats,” Witton says. “If you’re respectful it’ll help you seem more approachable.”

www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/10/what-to-do-when-friend-tells-sexist-joke-hannah-witton_n_6833846.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

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