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Tokyo Olympics Chief Participates in LGBTQIA+ Pride Event in Tokyo By Dirk Smith, M.Sc, SDL (He/Him) As activists and lawmakers in Japan are pushing for a new equality law to be enacted before the games are set to begin this summer. Seiko Hashimoto, the head of the Tokyo Olympics took part in Japan’s LGBTQIA+ Pride Week. Hashimoto visited Pride House Tokyo, which is an international initiative to provide LGBTQIA+ people a place to gather and connect during large sporting events, including the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Pan-American Games, European Football Champion...

Select Page Phoenix Rising FC Season Opener Against San Diego Loyal Seeks to Make Amends and Find a Fresh Start By Dirk Smith, M.Sc, SDL (He/Him) Last season when the Phoenix Rising Football Club went up against the San Diego Loyal, the match ended up with San Diego forfeiting after a Rising player made a gay slur against openly gay player Colin Martin. The homophobic player, Junior Flemings, has since been dumped by Phoneix and manager Rick Shantz was suspended for mishandling the incident during the match, despite Loyal coach, Landon Donovan voicing his concern. Since that day, Rising RF Ge...

th until May 2 nd to celebrate and show solidarity with all LGBTQ+ women and non-binary people. Specifically, to celebrate our community members who identify as lesbian as a voice for unity and uplifting each other. Lesbian Visibility Week originally started as a day in 2008 and has since expanded to the full week by the organization Stonewall to “recognize, celebrate and support lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer women to be their true selves at work, home and socially.” For the occasion, we would like to recognize different lesbian sports icons throughout the week who have and con...

LGBTQ+ Students and Educators Take Part in GLSEN’s Annual Day of Silence By Dirk Smith, M.Sc, SDL (He/Him) Every April, GLSEN leads a nationwide student demonstration in which LGBTQ+ and allied students take a “vow of silence” to protest harassment, bullying and discrimination of LGBTQ+ people in school and education. The Day of Silence began in 1996 by two college students at the University of Virginia who wanted to do more than just organize an echo chamber of panel discussions. By the next year, the Day of Silence expanded to include 100 colleges and universities taking part and by 2...

#AIDSLifeCycle Launches #TogetherRide As a Virtual Fundraising Event for HIV/AIDS Research By Dirk Smith, M.Sc, SDL (He/Him) In the 28+ year history of the #AIDSLifeCycle, a week long cycling event from San Francisco to LA to raise money and awareness of lifesaving HIV/AIDS research, for the first time last year it had to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. For 2021, the event is taking on a new, Covid safe event in the form of #TogetherRide which encourages participants to fundraise and take on the cycling challenge within their own communities. #TogetherRide has set a fundraising goa...