International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics Association
The International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics Association (known as IGLA) is the international governing body for predominantly LGBT+ aquatics clubs, representing the sports of swimming, diving, artistic swimming, water polo, and open water swimming.[1][2][3][4][5] Member clubs are from 16 countries, with the majority of clubs in the United States and Canada.[6] Past presidents of the association have included Scott Kohanowski (of Team New York Aquatics) and Gareth Johnson (of Out to Swim London).[7]
IGLA is one of the key organisations involved in the licensing of the Gay Games, which are held every four years.[8][9][10] In years in which the Gay Games are not held, IGLA holds an international competition open to its member clubs. The organization is a part of the larger movement of a niche travel industry, LGBTQ sports tourism.[11]
History
The IGLA name was chosen in 1987 to keep the community spirit of competition going from the recently held Gay Olympics that was started in San Francisco by Tom Waddell.[12] The Gay Olympics was later forced to change its name to Gay Games but the event itself was successful in allowing LGBT athletes from around the world to compete in Olympic, exhibition and art events. To carry on the international aspect for the LGBT aquatics community the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics was named to hold a yearly international championship event.[13] By Gay Games III, IGLA was officially a part of the Games organizing.[14]
Championships
The host cities for the championships have been:[15]
- 1987: IGLA I, San Diego, California[16]
- 1988: IGLA II, San Diego, California[17]
- 1989: IGLA III, Vancouver, British Columbia
- 1990: Held in conjunction with Gay Games III, Vancouver, British Columbia
- 1991: IGLA IV, Los Angeles, California
- 1992: IGLA V, Seattle, Washington
- 1993: IGLA VI, Chicago, Illinois
- 1994: Held in conjunction with Gay Games IV, New York, New York
- 1995: IGLA VII, Montreal, Québec
- 1996: IGLA VIII, Washington, D.C.
- 1997: IGLA IX, San Diego, California
- 1998: Held in conjunction with Gay Games V, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- 1999: IGLA X, Atlanta, Georgia
- 2000: IGLA XI, Paris, France
- 2001: IGLA XII, Toronto, Ontario
- 2002: Held in conjunction with Gay Games VI, Sydney, Australia
- 2003: IGLA XIII, San Francisco, California
- 2004: IGLA XIV, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- 2005: IGLA XV, Atlanta, Georgia
- 2006: Held in conjunction with Gay Games VII, Chicago, Illinois
- 2007: IGLA XVI, Paris, France
- 2008: IGLA XVII, Washington, D.C.
- 2009: IGLA XVIII, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 2010: Held in conjunction with Gay Games VIII, Cologne, Germany
- 2011: IGLA XIX, Honolulu, Hawaii
- 2012: IGLA XX, Reykjavík, Iceland
- 2013: IGLA XXI, Seattle, Washington
- 2014: Held in conjunction with Gay Games IX, Cleveland, Ohio
- 2015: IGLA XXII, Stockholm, Sweden[2][3]
- 2016: Edmonton, Alberta[18]
- 2017: IGLA 30th Anniversary - Miami[19]
- 2018: Held in conjunction with Gay Games X, Paris, France
- 2019: IGLA XXXI, New York City[20]
- 2020: IGLA XXXII, Melbourne, Australia[21]
- 2021: IGLA XXXIII, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States - Cancelled due to Covid-19
- 2022: IGLA XXXIV, Palm Springs, California
- 2023: IGLA XXXV, London, United Kingdom - Scheduled for the 25th - 30th of June
References
- Johnson, Gareth (4 June 2012). "From puffins to people". Gaystarnews.com. Archived from the original on 26 May 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
- Gay News Network, "Eurogames Stockholm to host 2015 International Lesbian and Gay World Aquatic Championships, by Cec Busby, 20 June 2014
- Curve, "Make your next stop Stockholm", by Lisa Tedesco, 16 July 2014
- Davidson, Judy. "Sporting homonationalisms: Sexual exceptionalism, queer privilege, and the 21st century international lesbian and gay sport movement." Sociology of Sport Journal 30.1 (2013): 57-82.
- Jakubowska, Honorata. "From Keeping Silent to Coming Out-the Status of Sexual Minorities in Sports." Kultura i Spoleczenstwo 58.1 (2014): 155-167.
- "IGLA Teams « International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics". www.igla.org. Archived from the original on 27 July 2012.
- "IGLA Board". International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- Hargreaves, Jennifer, and Eric Anderson, eds. Routledge Handbook of Sport, Gender and Sexuality. Routledge, 2014.
- Skúladóttir, Auður Olga. "Íþróttaviðburðir og ferðamennska í Vestmannaeyjum." (2011).
- Pogam, Yves Le, et al. "Homophobie et structuration des jeux sportifs homosexuels." Corps et culture 6/7 (2004).
- Pitts, Brenda G. "Sports tourism and niche markets: Identification and analysis of the growing lesbian and gay sports tourism industry." Journal of Vacation Marketing 5.1 (1999): 31-50.
- Symons, Caroline. "Challenging homophobia and heterosexism in sport." Sport and Gender Identities: 140.
- "Chicago Riptide - Chicago's Gay & Lesbian Water Polo Team". www.chicagoriptide.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2008.
- Symons, Caroline. "Challenging homophobia and heterosexism in sport." Sport and gender identities: Masculinities, femininities and sexualities (2007): 140-159.
- "IGLA Championships". International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- "Sports: Pooling Around: Water Polo Makes a Big Splash - Windy City Times News". 5 May 2004.
- "District of Columbia Aquatics Club". www.swimdcac.org. Archived from the original on 6 November 2014.
- "2016 IGLA Championships will be in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada « IGLA – International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics". www.igla.org. Archived from the original on 5 November 2014.
- "IGLA 2017 Championship Wraps on a High Note « IGLA: International LGBTQ+ Aquatics". www.igla.org. Archived from the original on 18 May 2018.
- "2019 International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics Championships in New York City". 13 September 2016.
- "IGLA 2020 Announced: MELBOURNE! « IGLA: International LGBTQ+ Aquatics". www.igla.org. Archived from the original on 13 September 2018.