The proposed development by the Church Street Community Centre is expected to cost about $100M, one-third of which would be funded by the three levels of government
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The 519 Church Community Centre has submitted a report to the city today proposing the development of a new LGBTQ-focused sports and recreation centre. If approved, negotiations will begin with Infrastructure Ontario to build the centre on the Wheel and Foundry Complex, located near Underpass Park….
Go Toronto! If this proposal is approved it will apparently be the first LGBTQ-focused sport and rec centre in the world.
So happy that Toronto FINALLY has it’s first LGBTQ sports bar!
The Sport of Courting LGBTQ Sporting Organizations
Image courtesy of revolked2.blogspot.com
There are a number of LGBTQ sporting organizations within Toronto. From soccer, to water polo, to dodge ball. Teams and organizations range in their competitiveness from friendly to intense or “fierce”, They range in size from teams of half a dozen to leagues of over 500. For a city that only had a handful of LGBTQ sporting organizations in 2000 Toronto has seen an explosion with now close to 50 teams and organizations for people to choose from, and it isn’t alone, cities across the continent have experienced a growth in LGBTQ sports. Why?
First and foremost are the numbers. With greater acceptance more people have come out of the closet. The HIV-AIDS epidemic that decimated the gay and bisexual male community has become more manageable and infection rates have decreased with safe sex practices and awareness. This means there are a lot more people within the community. More people means more interests and more people to join teams and build out new sporting organizations.
As the queer community has gained greater acceptance within society the fringe aspect and counter culture that thrived within it, while still there, is no longer as prominent as it once was. People, younger people in particular, don’t particularly identify themselves by their sexual orientation, it is simply a small part of them. Being gay doesn’t make someone as “different” as it once did. Joining a sports organization before might have been seen as an attempt to appear macho, or pay lip service to the oppressive societal norms that so many had rejected and is no longer the case for many.
Community, love, and friends. It can be hard finding people to date, whether you’re Queer or Straight. While there are bars, clubs, dating sites, and applications like Grindr or Scruff, they often leave a little to be desired. Sporting organizations have allowed people to interact with other Queer people, expand their friendship circle and explore another, more organic, way to meet potential partners. When I first came to Toronto joining a sporting organization was where I met most of the friends i have today and I continue to recommend joining a team or organization to anyone new to this city or any other.
While I believe that the increase in numbers, and greater acceptance has allowed for a greater burgeoning of sports organization within the Queer community, I feel it is the desire to meet new people, develop new relationships (romantic and platonic) that has been the key contributor to the growth,
Do you think there are any other contributing factors to this growth I haven’t mentioned or feel one of the others is more important?
Toronto’s Queer and Queer Friendly Sports Leagues/Teams
Well I figured that some people don’t know where to look to find a list of different teams or leagues that are Queer friendly they can join so I decided to compile one :)
1. Downtown Soccer Toronto (DST). 10 teams with roughly 20 people per team. Operates from late May until late September playing on Sundays (co-ed).
2. Toronto Gay Hockey Association. 9 teams (co-ed) plays Sunday evenings at York University. Season from late September until the Spring.
3. Cabbagetown Group Softball Leagues. Number of different team in different divisions - this league has been around for about 30 years. (Co-ed)
4. Toronto Triggerfish. Water polo team (Co-ed).
5. Rainbow Hoops. Women’s basketball league.
6. Frontrunners Toronto. Rec and Competitive running group.
7. Pink Turf Soccer League. Lesbian and Lesbian friendly women’s soccer league.
8. Q-Crew. Queer rowing crew (Canada’s 1st) phone #: 416 925-XTRA x 2172
9. BADinTO. Rec Badminton league (Co-ed)
10. Hoopsies. Queer Basketball league (Co-ed)
11. Notso Amazon Softball League. Women’s softball league, also one of the oldest leagues.
12. Ontario Lesbian and Gay Tennis Association.
13. Out & Out Toronto. Queer sports and recreation club.
14. OUTabound Golf. Queer golf league serving communities across Ontario
15. ROTC Toronto - Righteously Outrageous Twirling Corps. Flag spinning/dancing, this group performs in the parade and live up to their name!
16. Toronto News Girls Boxing Club. Positive space for woman and trans people to explore/experience boxing.
17. W4Sport & Culture. Group dedicated to promoting women’s participation in athletic and cultural events at an advanced level within the Queer community. Email: women4sportandculture@hotmail.com
18. Women’s Hockey Club of Toronto. Women’s hockey league.
19. Downtown Swim Club. Master’s swim club for the Queer community.
20. Breathless Syncho Toronto. Synchronized swimming for the Queer community.
21. Muddy York. Toronto's Queer/Queer friendly Men’s Rugby club.
22. Toronto Gay Flag Football.
23. Toronto Spartan Volleyball League. Rec and competitive Queer volleyball league.
24. Riverdale Curling League. Queer and curling league.
25. Toronto Gay Ski/Snowboarding Club.
26. Indoorsout. Indoor soccer league for the fall and winter months.
27. Outsport Toronto
I’m sure there are others that I need to add and please if you know of any others let me know so I can update the list.
Slainte!
Video on Homophobia and Transphobia that Outsport Toronto presented to the Toronto District School Board.
Connor Taras had always tried to hide the fact that he was gay; when he finally came out, he says, “it was the first time I went to race and was actually there for myself… . I got to be me.”
It’s official, athlete’s coming out is now the it thing to do. From several Olympians (including former swimming tycoon Ian “The Thorpedo” Thorpe) to NFL draft hopefuls and NBA, MLS players. Welcome the age of being out in sport.
“Just because you’re gay doesn’t mean you can’t be the athlete you want to be,” says the award-winning athlete.
This. Is. Awesome!
Oh yeah, in case you missed it the SCC’s defensive player of the year Michael Sam came out… before the NFL draft. Meaning if drafted he would be the first openly gay player within the NFL and first openly gay player to be drafted by a team in any major male professional sports league.
Can’t say enough about the courage for which Michael Sam has. Hats of to you sir for doing what so many other haven’t been able to and for paving the way.
