Tom Waddell: Formula for Success

Co-founder of the Gay Games, Tom Waddell, is interviewed by Mary Anne McEwen at a park picnic table at the 1983 Vancouver Gay Summer Games.

Waddell: “This is the formula for success and success is characterizing gay people as everyday people. We vote… I mean, first of all, let’s examine the problem of what unites gay people. It’s not religion, cause we’re from all religions. It’s not our sexuality because our sexuality is a wide spectrum. My sexuality is not like any of these men’s sexuality and theirs are often different than each other as well. And it’s true of the women. So, our sexuality doesn’t really bring us together. We’re not united by politics. There are Republicans, there are Socialists, there are Democrats. So, the only thing that unites us is a sense of oppression. When we are confronted with adversity we band together beautifully, you know, and we will march. But when we’re confronted with success we sort of fall to pieces. So again, the Games are coming through the back door to provide us with a medium to express ourselves in a way that I think declares our health, our vigour, our creativity, our involvement… and the Games really serve us. They really serve us.”