IGLA+ (formerly known as the International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics Association) 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 organizations 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, LGBTQIA sports tourism.[11]
History
edit
IGLA+ began as the West Coast Gay Swim League in 1987 with teams from Berkeley, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, and West Hollywood.[12] Members of these teams had participated in Gay Games II and wanted to continue competing annually. After the first West Coast Gay Swim League Championship, hosted in March 1987[13][14] by the Different Strokes Swim Team in San Diego, the Seattle team hosted the Northwest Gay & Lesbian Sports Festival. At this festival, it was decided that the League would be renamed the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics Association in hopes to grow beyond the US and Canada.[15][16][17] By Gay Games III, IGLA was officially a part of the Games organizing.[18] In 2024, International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics rebranded as IGLA+ to better represent the wider LGBTQIA+ community.[19]
Championships
editThe host cities for the championships have been:[20]
- 1987: IGLA I (Then known as the West Coast Gay Swim League Championship), San Diego, California[21]
- 1988: IGLA II, San Diego, California[22][23]
- 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[24]
- 2017: IGLA 30th Anniversary - Miami[25]
- 2018: Held in conjunction with Gay Games X, Paris, France
- 2019: IGLA XXXI, New York City[26]
- 2020: IGLA XXXII, Melbourne, Australia[27]
- 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
- 2024: IGLA XXVI, Buenos Aires, Argentina[28]
- 2025: IGLA XXVII, Washington, D.C.[29]
References
edit- ^ Johnson, Gareth (4 June 2012). "From puffins to people". Gaystarnews.com. Archived from the original on 26 May 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
- ^ a b Gay News Network, "Eurogames Stockholm to host 2015 International Lesbian and Gay World Aquatic Championships, by Cec Busby, 20 June 2014
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ "History". SF Tsunami. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ "Happy 20th Anniversary, WH2O!" (PDF). Team Unify. WH2O. October 2002. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ Bay Area Reporter, Volume 17, Number 13, 26 March 1987. GLBT Historical Society. Benro Enterprises, Inc. 26 March 1987.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ "Are Gay Sports Clubs Really a Thing?". Humans. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "About Us | IGLA+ Aquatics". IGLA+. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "25 Years of IGLA Championships" (PDF). INTERNATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN AQUATICS. January 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "IGLA 2024 - Buenos Aires". IGLA 2024 - Buenos Aires. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ "Sports". WorldPride Washington, DC 2025. Retrieved 31 January 2024.