Xtremely Queer : Around the World in 2,070 Days - Part 3

Larry Jacobson and his partner Ken Smith had set off from San Francisco in their yacht “Julia” in December 2001 to circumnavigate the world by sail. By March 2005 they had sailed the South Pacific, survived mid-ocean storms, been chased by komodo dragons, and narrowly escaped being victims of the Christmas 2004 tsunami. They had successfully negotiated Pirate Alley and were about to sail up the Red Sea.

“Julia” proceeded to hop her way from harbour to harbour up the African coastline. Travelling past war-torn nations like Eritrea and Sudan Larry and Ken encountered military personnel at every landfall while meeting very friendly people, often the poorest in the region. Despite the concerns of their family and friends back home in the US Larry and Ken made it safely to Port Suez. The only dangers they actually encountered were a raging storm and a near-fatal experience for Larry. He had dived down to release the anchor of another small vessel that had got snagged on the sea bed. His own oxygen line got snagged and he almost suffocated trying to untangle himself and the anchor.

The Suez Canal is, like the Malacca Straits they encountered nine months earlier, is one of the busiest seaways in the world. As before, there is safety in numbers and “Julia” joined the convoy of small vessels that were piloted through the canal into the Mediterranean.

Larry and Ken sailed in an anti-clockwise direction around the Mediterranean rather than head straight westwards to Gibraltar. They sailed up to Tel Aviv. Perhaps it was because Israel was the most cosmopolitan country they had been in since Australia that they stayed for three months instead of the planned one week.

Not long after reaching the Greek island of Mykonos “Julia” scraped a hole in her keel on some rocks and had to be taken back to Turkey for repairs.  While this was going on Larry learnt that he had high blood pressure and was told to rest and stay away from alcohol. Easier said than done! But with “Julia” out of action for a while it gave him the chance to visit friends in Switzerland for Christmas 2005.

The Mediterranean also gave Larry and Ken the chance to sail to some of the most historically important locations in Europe – Turkey, Greece and the Greek islands, Italy and Rome. The ever-changing winds of the Aegean, however, made sailing challenging at times.

From Greece they sailed between Sicily and the “toe” of Italy to Sardinia for a few more repairs and then on to Barcelona. A lot needed to be checked and prepared before the long sail across the Atlantic in the months ahead, and this was the best place to get “Julia” ship-shape and in good order.

By October 2006 “Julia” had reached Gibraltar and, as Larry wrote, they were “heading for Home”. Four days later they had arrived at the Canary Islands. After final structural checks “Julia” set off on her transatlantic voyage on 24^th November 2006.

Larry and Ken were joined by Patrik and Francis for the crossing. The first few days were filled storms and rolling seas, but after a couple of days the weather settled somewhat and “Julia” reached the mid-Atlantic point after just ten days. In December they reached the Grenadines in the Caribbean and stayed there until mid-February and then they sailed towards Panama. After that it was just a straight sail north along the Central American coast and back to their starting point in San Francisco.

It was an emotional moment for Larry and Ken when they sailed out of the last lock of the Panama Canal and back into Pacific waters. There had been a bit of tension between the two through the Caribbean and the thought of being on the last leg of the 6-year voyage was cause for celebration and excitement.

The actual physical circumnavigation was completed on 17^th May 2007, but they weren’t in San Francisco. They had reached Zihuatanejo Bay in Mexico, the starting point of their trans-Pacific sail six years earlier. “Julia” had been away for 1,880 days and 38,388 miles. There were celebrations with family who had travelled down to meet Larry and Ken, now toasted as the first gay couple to sail around the world.

Even though they weren’t technically home Larry and Ken relaxed in Mexico for a while. However, that relaxation was shattered one morning in June when Larry complained of chest pains and was rushed to hospital. After being told to lay off the alcohol and get more exercise in Turkey Larry had not kept to the advice all the time and was prescribed more medication. Thankfully, it wasn’t anything serious enough to prevent him from finishing his voyage in San Francisco.

On 2^nd July 2007 “Julia” with Larry, Ken and Patrik (back with them after the Caribbean section) sailed into US waters and San Diego. I like the comment Larry made to the customs officer when asked “And the purpose of your trip?” – “I kind of wanted to make sure the world is round”.

At midday on 28^th August 2007 “Julia” sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge and the 2,070^th and final day of the first known circumnavigation of the world by a gay couple. Larry and Ken with some former crew members and friends were met by several other boats to welcome them back home. A crowd cheered as “Julia” docked as tears and champagne flowed freely. An impromptu speech by Larry brought the whole adventure to an end.

“Julia” arrives back at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

Xtremely Queer : Around the World in 2,070 Days - Part 2

Sunrise from the deck of “Julia”.

Yesterday I wrote about the first part of Larry Jacobsen’s adventure with his partner Ken Smith to become the first openly gay couple to circumnavigate the world by sail in their yacht “Julia”.

After sailing across the Pacific they arrived in Australia in December 2003. Christmas was spent trying to repair the propeller shaft coupling. Sailing with the breath-taking scenery of the Australian coastline on one side and the equally breath-taking Great Barrier Reef and the other “Julia” then made her way north and across to Darwin. Indonesia and the Red Sea beckoned, both regions where a couple on a yacht could be attacked by pirates without warning at any time.

“Julia” sailed with forty other small boats and vessels in a rally from Australia to Indonesia. At the welcoming banquet Larry and Ken were the recipients of the Unluckiest Sailors award, the propeller shaft coupling having snapped again on their arrival and forcing then to wait for repairs again. Three weeks later, after the spare parts from Australia had been sent to the wrong place, Larry and Ken were off on their voyage again, only to encounter a more surreal problem.

On the Indonesian island of Rina they went on a guided hike through the jungle hoping to glimpse (from a safe distance) one of its most famous inhabitants, a komodo dragon. Well, a glimpse of they had – several in fact. It sounds like something out of an Indiana Jones or Jurassic Park film. On a narrow trail Larry and Ken suddenly realised they had lost sight of their guide but had attracted the sight of a couple of very hungry-looking komodo dragons, and Larry and Ken looked very much like food.

Larry and Ken raced through the jungle to a cliff, pursued by the dragons, and scrambled up the rock face out of the reach of the hungry lizards. After a few minutes the dragons left and our adventurous couple descended when they felt it was safe. Actually, they probably weren’t until they had raced back to safety on board “Julia”.

“Julia” reached Singapore in September 2004. Careful sailing was top priority here. There were tropical thunder storms with horizontal rain, the threat of pirates, and the busiest seaway in the world to dodge through. After Singapore the next planned stop-off was Phuket in Thailand in November 2004. Before that plans were made for Christmas. “Julia” needed work done on her interior and Larry and Ken planned to have her hauled onto dry land in Phuket City. Larry wanted to spend Christmas Day at a famous gay beach resort that was holding a huge Christmas party. Ken, however, was desperate to see his family for the festive season and the two agreed to fly back to the US for a family Christmas.

The festive cheer was replaced with sheer horror as Larry and Ken saw the news footage of the devastation reeked by the tsunami of December 26^th that hit Phuket full on. Frantic phone-calls were made. Were their friends in Phuket okay? What was going on? Was “Julia” still in one piece? Thankfully their friends were able to respond and report that they were okay, and so was “Julia”. However, Larry reflected on his original plan to anchor at the beach resort near Phuket for Christmas that would have put him directly in the path of the tsunami.

New Year 2005 saw Larry and Ken back in Phuket to asses the situation. Several of the mechanics working on “Julia” had lost their wives in the disaster. The mood was sombre. Even though “Julia” had survived the tsunami there was a lot of work and cleaning up to do before she was ready to set sail again at the beginning of February.

Larry and Ken were joined by a couple from England on their Indian Ocean crossing. By February 15^th they had reached the exact half-way point round the world, even if it hadn’t been reached in a straight line. Several weeks later “Julia” sailed into some of the most troubled waters in the world in the Middle East. As Larry’s brother emailed before they arrived a yacht flying the American and Rainbow Pride flags is like painting a bull’s-eye on the sail and shout “Aim here”!

“Pirate Alley” is the name given to the Gulf of Aden and small boats and yachts have to travel in convoy in case of pirate or terrorist attacks. “Julia” only had two other yachts in her convoy through Pirate Alley. Larry and Ken heard of some of their friends had been attacked just a few weeks previously and were relieved to reach the port of Aden safely.

The Red Sea and Europe beckoned.

Xtremely Queer : Around the World in 2,070 Days - Part 1

Last October I wrote about Sarah Outen’s round the world adventure. As a kind of companion to those articles we begin to follow another round the world adventure today. This time it features a gay couple, takes place completely on water, and goes in the opposite direction.

Larry Jacobsen and Ken Smith have been called the first openly gay partners to circumnavigate the globe by sail. I’m going to recount the journey over the next few days.

The whole adventure was the brainchild of Larry Jacobsen who was fascinated by sailing boats ever since he was a boy. He used to go to the marina near Long Beach, California, where he lived and gaze across the lines of boats and yachts from behind the locked marina gates. Larry dreamed of sailing over the horizon in his own boat. That dream came true many years later when he learnt to sail and bought a boat.

From the outset Larry made it clear that he was declaring himself as a “gay skipper looking for crew”, as he wrote on an on-line sailing bulletin board. There would be several changes of crew throughout the 6-year adventure. Some would come and go over the course of the voyage. As the skipper Larry Jacobsen would be the only constant member.

"Julia" in full sail, complete with Rainbow Pride colours.

The adventure began with the naming of the boat on 25^th August 2001. Larry chose to name it after his mother Julia. Less than a month later, on September 11^th, the terrorist attack which changed the world gave Larry pause to reconsider his adventure. The instant reaction was that nobody was safe to travel anywhere any more. After the initial shock people began to realise that nothing should stop them from living their lives, but everyone must be vigilant. Larry too was worried, particularly as his round the world adventure included sailing to the Middle East and through the Suez Canal. But he had waited so long for this adventure and everything was set and he decided it was now or never.

The beginning of December was an emotional time. Larry said an emotional mutual farewell to his boyfriend of 20 years, Bob, after agreeing an amicable end to their relationship (Bob was no sailor and wasn’t interested in going around the world, yet he didn’t want to deny Larry his chance). A couple of days later the sadness was replaced by excitement at the adventure ahead.

Larry and the crew of “Julia” set sail from San Francisco on 7^th December 2001. Among the hand-chosen crew was Ken Smith. He and Larry were to become closer during the voyage across the Pacific. “Julia” hopped from one harbour to the next down to Mexico. Being no April Fools the crew of “Julia” left Punta Mita on 1^st April 2002. The next landfall would be 2740 nautical miles away in the Marquesas Islands in the South Pacific.

The first few weeks were “plain sailing” compared with what was to come. The arrival at the Marquesas was on 22^nd April. So far the only real problems had been that of 5 people crammed onto one yacht for three weeks. Some crew left for adventures elsewhere, but the hardest farewell was to Ken Smith a few weeks later when “Julia” reached Tahiti. He and Larry had fallen in love over the Pacific and Ken decided to return home and return a few months later.

After a tearful farewell “Julia” continued on her islands-hopping voyage. From Tahiti to Raratonga, to Niue, to Tonga. Mechanical problems kept “Julia” in Tonga for the rest of the month. A small fire one night when Larry was the only person on board was just one of several issues caused by technical problems. When “Julia” set sail at the beginning of October they almost immediately ran into an unexpected storm which threatened to sink the yacht.

November 2002 saw “Julia” head south for New Zealand and a quick crew change before sailing back north. Before that a welcome reunion with Ken Smith who had come to rejoin the crew and accompanied them to Sydney Mardi Gras in March while “Julia” underwent several months of mechanical repairs. The next major stop-over would be Australia proper after a Fiji and Vanuatu detour.

The voyage from Vanuatu was one of the most testing so far. The autopilot failed twice before packing up altogether, so the crew manned the wheel 24 hours a day on a rota to keep them on course. For Ken it was a new skill.

With only 150 miles to go before reaching Australia, in the middle of the night, during heavy rain and waves, a wire that holds the mast in position snapped. In such conditions the mast could easily have snapped off, taking part of the deck with it. So, in the darkness and with the storm raging around them the crew rallied to. Ken steered while Larry set up four ropes as a temporary wire. It was an experience that brought the two closer together.

“Julia” arrived in Australia in December 2003. This was only one third of the way round the world, and in the adventures ahead the problems with the mast would be child’s-play to what was to come.

For more information and photographs go to Larry Jacobson's site here.

The Seven Heavenly Gay Virtues : Temperance

Temperance is often confused with abstinence. Perhaps a better way to describe temperance in moderation of voluntary self-restraint. That could be moderation in anything and not just alcohol with which temperance is most often associated. If you think of temperance with its opposing Seven Deadly Sins, gluttony, it may be clearer. Gluttony is extravagance and over-indulgence, and temperance is the opposite. Like gluttony temperance is placed on the orange stripe of the Rainbow Pride flag.

Perhaps our image of temperance consists mainly of groups of women preaching about the evils of alcohol of the Victorian temperance movement. Actually, I was a member (technically, I still am) of one of those Victorian temperance movements. When people ask about my faith I usually say “Christian, Protestant, Non-Conformist, Methodist, Wesleyan, Rechabite – in that order”. I won’t bother you with an explanation today except to explain that last name, Rechabite. Although not a religious denomination like the others on the list I personally regard it as a belief.

The Independent Order of Rechabites was founded in 1835. Although a secular organisation it has its roots in the Methodist community of northwest England. Because of its name many people (and even a few ignorant historians who wouldn’t know how to research their own life with accuracy) have regarded the Order as some form of masonic movement or secret organisation, when in fact its more akin to the trade union movement, which also owes a great deal to Victorian Methodism.

The name Rechabite derives from a Biblical character called Rechab whose descendants had pledged never to drink wine. In my childhood there was a great community spirit in the Rechabites with social events every year all round the country. These days, however, the Independent Order of Rechabites exists as a “friendly society” and savings company under the name of “Healthy Investment”. Technically, all members are still required to be teetotal, but several decades ago the organisation relaxed its rules to allow “voluntary self-moderation” – temperance – rather than abstinence. Apart from the fact that alcohol actually tastes foul I allow myself a bottle a champagne twice a year, on my birthday and Christmas.

Let’s go back to the Victorian period and several influential lgbt social activists who were leading members of the temperance movement in the USA.

Susan Brownell Anthony (1820-1906) was raised as a Quaker, another denomination who aren’t keen on alcohol. During the 19^th century alcohol abuse was a big problem in most industrial nations. Pressures of working long hours under less than safety-conscious conditions, often in poor environments, drove many people, mainly men, into alcoholism. Alcohol was cheap, and it helped to forget their often squalid lives.

A group of women in the USA saw the bad effects alcoholism had on families and campaigned for stronger laws on the availability and production of cheap alcohol. Their organisation was called the Daughters of Temperance and Susan B. Anthony joined their ranks. She was elected president of its Rochester branch in 1849 and she began organising fund-raising events for them.

During her temperance work Susan realised that little would be achieved until women were given the vote. In 1853 she was refused the right to speak at the New York state convention of the male equivalent of the Daughters of Temperance, naturally called the Sons of Temperance, because she was a woman.

Undaunted Susan and fellow campaigner Elizabeth Cady Stanton formed the Women’s State Temperance Society. As part of her campaign Susan organised a petition calling for the New York State legislature to pass a law to limit the sale of alcohol. The petition gathered 28,000 signatures, but because most of these were from women and children the petition was rejected.

Susan’s suffragist campaigns became too much for other members of the Women’s State Temperance Society and she was criticised for giving too much of her time to votes for women and so she resigned from the organisation. She still continued to support their work, however.

Eventually, the US government decided to tackle the alcoholism problem by introducing prohibition, a decision which Susan B. Anthony disagreed with because it took attention away from the women’s suffrage movement.

Today the problems of alcohol abuse remain in society. Although Victorian-style temperance movements no longer exist there are many social and health organisations who tackle the problem from a different angle. Instead of demonising alcohol and its drinkers the emphasis is more on tackling it as an addiction and provides medical support and encouragement in voluntary self-restraint.

The same techniques are used in many other addiction problems such as drugs and nicotine. The lgbt community has its own specific needs in all these areas and many support groups, health programmes, rehab facilities and charities exist to replace the old-fashioned Victorian temperance techniques of the past.

It will be in that last area, charity, that we look at in our next Seven Heavenly Gay Virtues series.

Plaid Pride

I didn’t know there was such a thing as National Tartan Day until last year. I was vaguely aware that there was a tartan for the lgbt community and discovering there was a Tartan Day gave me the impetus to find out more.

I’m no stranger to tartan. I have a kilt which I wear very rarely. It’s a Modern Hunting Stewart tartan. I’m not entitled to wear it by inheritance or clan association as I’ve no Scottish blood, or at least none later than 1166 (I had a Scottish uncle who was an Honorary Queen’s Physician in Scotland, but that doesn’t count). But many people these days wear tartan as a fashion item. Many members of the lgbt community do have family tartans of course, and I may start a new series on them next year.

Tartan Day began with a small event in New York City in 1982, but it was in Canada where there is a large proportion of people with Scottish ancestry that the present format for National Tartan Day was established in the mid-80s. Appropriately it was in Nova Scotia, the province specifically established for Scottish colonists and named after Scotland itself, that an official Tartan Day was first proposed. The day suggested was today, April 6^th, the day the Declaration of Arbroath was signed in 1320. This brings the lgbt community right into the heart of National Tartan Day because the Declaration of Arbroath is one of the most significant events in the reign of Edward II, one of the widely accepted lgbt kings of England.

You’ll be familiar with the events prior to the Declaration of Arbroath if you’ve seen the film “Braveheart”. Even though history was distorted out of all recognition in the film (William Wallace wasn’t called Braveheart – Robert the Bruce was; he didn’t have a Scottish accent – he spoke like an Anglo-Norman baron; he didn’t paint his face blue – that was the Ancient Picts not the Medieval Scots; he didn’t wear tartan – he wore the same as the English; and he never met Princess Isabella – she was only 4 when he was executed; I could go on) the fight for independence from England was real. During the reign of King Edward II’s father Scotland had become a feudal possession of the English crown. The Declaration of Arbroath was an appeal to the Pope to support Scottish independence.

The idea of a National Tartan Day spread to other Commonwealth countries such as Australia and New Zealand who both chose a different date. Their Tartan Day is on July 1^st, the day on which the ban on tartan was lifted in the UK in 1747. Canada didn’t choose that date because it’s their national holiday, Canada Day.

President George W. Bush signed a Presidential Proclamation in 2008 making April 6^th National Tartan Day in the USA.

There are three official lgbt tartans which, unlike my Modern Hunting Stewart kilt, I can wear unchallenged. But what makes them official? In November 2008 the Scottish Parliament passed an Act creating the Scottish Register of Tartans. This consolidated the data collected by several independent private tartan registers that had existed previously and created a unified set of criteria for inclusion in the new register.

Of the official lgbt tartans on the Scottish Register of Tartans only one was designed by and for lgbt people. The others were designed by fashion companies.

This first tartan (above) is the most recent of the three. It was designed by John Chittock, the founder of a non-denominational spiritual movement called the Fellowship of the Rainbow Way. It was designed specifically for members of the Fellowship which had its HQ in Washington State, USA. It is unclear how many members of the Fellowship there are/were as it seems it was disbanded some time last year, according to the state’s list of charitable organisations. The tartan, however, was registered by John Chittock with the new Scottish Register in 2014.

The design, although predominantly blue, incorporates the Rainbow Pride flag in its stripes. Even if the tartan was intended to be worn only by members of the Fellowship of the Rainbow Way the description in the Register makes it clear that “this tartan is intended for use by all the LGBT community”.

The earliest lgbt tartan is the one below. It was registered by one of those other tartan registers before the founding of the Scottish Register of Tartans in 2009.

This tartan was designed in 2000 by Ronnie Hek, a fashion and gift design company run by an English husband and wife team living in the Scottish Borders. They specialise in designing tartan accessories and clan crest jewellery. They design new tartans to order and place them on the official new Register.

This tartan caused quite some controversy when it was first registered as number 2647 with the old Scottish Tartan Society. Some members of the society objected to any tartan being designed for the lgbt community. Some heated discussion went on after the Scottish media heard about the fuss, and it ended with the Scottish Tartan Society claiming Ronnie Hek tricked them into registering the tartan.

Finally, the third tartan (below) dates from shortly after the Ronnie Hek one. The Scottish Register of Tartan says the following is its registration notes: “The success of the Rainbow [tartan], Scottish Tartan Society 2647, demanded that a tartan was created that was more functional for kilt wear 2000”. Just how one design is more “functional for kilt wear” than another is not explained.

So there you have it, three tartans to wear on this National Tartan Day.

Olympic Alphabet : L is for ...

London 2012

With the Rio Olympics rapidly approaching I thought it might be an idea to look back at the previous summer games of London 2012. Specifically, I want to acknowledge the vast wealth of talent and expertise that members of the lgbt community contributed to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Much more information has been revealed about these games, and more athletes have come out as lgbt. The following information gives the most complete record of lgbt participation at London 2012. When I began compiling this list for today I didn’t realise just how large it would be.

Let’s begin with sport and a list of the lgbt athletes known as of today’s date. Names given in capitals are of athletes who were out at the Olympic (Paralympics further below). The other names are of athletes who came out publicly afterwards (though they may have been out to many in their sport, family and friends).
NICOLA ADAMS (GB) boxing
MARILYN AGLIOTTI (Netherlands) hockey
JUDITH ARDNT (Germany) cycling
SEIMONE AUGUSTUS (USA) basketball
NATALIE COOK (Australia) beach volleyball
Rose Cossar (Canada) gymnastics
LISA DAHLKVIST (Sweden) football
Tom Daley (GB) diving
Casey Dellacqua (Australia) tennis
CARLIEN DIRKSE VAN DEN HEUVEL (Netherlands) hockey
IMKE DUPLITZER (Germany) fencing
Nilla Fischer (Sweden) football
Amina Fonua (Tonga) swimming
Larissa França (Brazil) beach volleyball
EDWARD GALL (Netherlands) equestrianism
JESSICA HARRISON (France) triathlon
CARL HESTER (GB) equestrianism
Katie Hoyle (Duncan) (New Zealand) football
KAREN HULTZER (South Africa) archery
NIENKE KINGMA (Netherlands) rowing
ALEXANDRA LACRABÈRE (France) handball
KIM LAMMERS (Netherlands) hockey
Malin Levenstad (Sweden) football
HEDWIG LINDAHL (Sweden) football
Ari-Pekka Liukkonen (Finland) swimming
Robbie Manson (New Zealand) rowing
Angel McCoughtry (USA) basketball
Erin McLeod (Canada) football
MATTHEW MITCHAM (Australia) diving
PORTIA MODISE (South Africa) football
Nadine Müller (Germany) athletics
MAARTJE PAUMEN (Netherlands) hockey
CAROLE PÉON (France) triathlon
MAYSSA PESSOA (Brazil) handball
MEGAN RAPINOE (USA) football
LISA RAYMOND (USA) tennis
Helen Richardson (-Walsh) (GB) hockey
Caroline Seger (Sweden) football
CASTER SEMENYA (South Africa) athletics
RIKKE SKOV (Denmark) handball
CASEY STONEY (GB) football
Beth Storry (GB) hockey
INA-YOKO TEUTENBERG (Germany) cycling
Linda Villumsen (New Zealand) cycling
Kate (Richardson-) Walsh (GB) hockey
Abby Wambach (USA) football

There was also a handful of openly lgbt coaches and officials at the games:          
Scott Cranham (Canada) diving coach
Simon Latimer, diving judge
Greg Louganis (USA) diving mentor
Hans Peter Minderhoud (Netherlands) equestrian trainer
Hope Powell (GB) football coach
Andy Schmitz (USA) triathlon High Performance manager
Pia Sundhage (USA) football coach
Mark Tewksbury (Canada) Chef de Mission

At the Paralympic Games there were 4 openly lgbt athletes:
Jen Armbruster (USA) goalball
Claire Harvey (GB) sitting volleyball
Asya Miller (USA) goalball
Lee Pearson (GB) equestrian

Prior to the games the torch relay involved many lgbt relay runners, some open, some not:
John Amaechi, former basketball star; Co-director, LOCOG Diversity Board
Clare Balding, former jockey and broadcaster
Kevin (Sheldrake) Bartlett, rugby coach (Gay Games 1990 gold medallist)
Chris Basiurski, Chair, Gay Football Supporter's Network
Colin Bentley, nursing assistant on HIV ward; charity marathon runner
Tom Bosworth, race walker
Jason Bromley, self-care co-ordinator
Trevor Burchick, founder, Pride Games; UK representative on GLISA
Vicki Carter, swimming instructor (Gay Games 2006 gold medallist)
Adam Chojnacki, nurse, ran in memory of his late civil partner Matthew
Martin Cremin, Scottish swimming champion
Heather Davidson, student, volunteer lgbt charity worker
Megan Harris, Lincoln City Women’s Football Club player
Mark Healey, founder of lgbt hate crime support charity
Peter Hellawell, Chair of Trustees, Positive action; charity marathon runner
Vincenzo Ianniello, Accreditation Co-ordinator, Olympic & Paralympic ceremonies
Vincent Jackson, charity fundraiser
Connor Laverty, student, lgbt charity volunteer; Welsh junior discus champion
Lorna McArdle, volunteer and past Chair of Reading Pride
Gideon Meade, founder, Brighton Lesbian and Gay Sports Society
Tara Mifflin, volunteer youth leader with Stonewall
Gavin Owen, volunteer, London and Brighton Prides; charity marathon runner
Colin Renshaw, volunteer support worker in lgbt community
Edward Roberts, junior research fellow, Cambridge; lgbt charity trustee
Jason Saw, head of lgbt mental health charity
Andy Stonehill-Brooks, founder of lgbt network charity
Tim Sullivan, Chair, Kings Cross Steelers, world's first gay rugby club.

There now follows a list of other openly lgbt people who have had some involvement in London 2012, from members of the organising committee (LOCOG) to Gamesmakers, volunteers and performers.
Andrew Amery, Head of Security, LOCOG
Pascal Anson, designer, British Airways Olympic livery
Giorgio Armani, fashion designer, uniform of the Italian Olympic team
Craig Beaumont, Dignitary Team Leader & Government Relations Manager
Daryl Beeton, aerial performer, Paralympic opening ceremony
Richard Chere, Training Venue Manager, Olympic hockey & Paralympic football
Miro Civin, aerial performer, Paralympic opening ceremony
Jackie Crozier, Communications Manager, Old Trafford (football venue)
Stephen Daldry, Executive Creative Producer, Olympic opening ceremony; Artistic Director, Paralympic opening and closing ceremonies
Priscilla Duncan, FIFA media officer, Olympic football competition
Stephen Frost, Head of Diversity and Inclusion, LOCOG
Adrian Hanstock, Commander, Olympic Transport Policing
Jonathan Harbourne, performer, Olympic Opening Ceremony (Pandemonium)
Bradley Hemmings, Co-Artistic Director, Paralympic opening ceremony
Jessie J, featured performer, Olympic closing ceremony
Delia Johnston, Paralympic Accreditation officer; Transgender Ambassador
Craig Jones, Programme Manager, London venues; founder London 2012 LGBT Network
Christopher Kane, fashion designer, Olympic closing ceremony (catwalk section)
London Gay Men’s Chorus, choir members, Paralympic opening ceremony
Emily Macaulay, Gamesmaker volunteer, ExCel Arena
Marius Maritz, Manager, Olympic Hospitality Centre, Olympic Park
Nicholas McCarthy, featured pianist, Paralympic opening ceremony
Sir Ian McKellen, main performer, Paralympic opening ceremony
Alexander McQueen (posthumously), fashion designer, Olympic closing ceremony (catwalk section)
George Michael, featured performer, Olympic closing ceremony
Richard Mould, Head of Procurement, LOCOG
Members of Out to Swim, performers, Olympic opening ceremony (Pandemonium)
Gareth Pugh, fashion designer, Olympic closing ceremony (Pet Shop Boys)
Hannah Quigley, performer, Olympic opening ceremony (Pandemonium)
Emy Ritt, transport organiser; Gay Games Co-President, 2006 silver medallist
Alastair Ruxton, Sport Competition Group Manager; Head of Legal Department
Jonathan Saunders, fashion designer, Olympic closing ceremony (catwalk section)
Neil Tennant, featured performer, Olympic closing ceremony (Pet Shop Boys)
Gareth Walker, choreographer, Olympic closing ceremony (Eric Idle section)

There were many more people involved in various official London 2012 Cultural events across the whole country, not to mention those involved in the original London 2012 bid. The fact that there were so many visible lgbt people involved in London 2012, and that LOCOG was the first (and, so far, the only) Olympic organising committee that made great efforts to appeal to and include the lgbt community (for example, producing 4 lgbt pin badges in their official collection, one is shown above) makes London 2012 the most lgbt-friendly Olympic games in history. What a stark contrast there is between London 2012 and its immediate successor, the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

There may never be a more lgbt-friendly Olympics (or even, dare I say, “Gayer Olympics”) for a very long time to come.