From Power at Play: Sports and the Problem of Masculinity, by Michael A. Messner:

Though many of the events in the Gay Games are "conventional" sports (track and field, swimming, etc.), and a number of "serious athletes" compete in the events, overall the Games reflect a value system and a vision based on feminist and gay liberation ideals of equality and universal participation. As Mike T. said,

"You don't win by beating someone else. We defined winning as doing your very best. That way, everyone is a winner. And we have age-group competition, so all ages are involved. We have parity: If there's a men's sport, there's a women's sport to complement it. And we go out and recruit in Third World and minority areas. All of these people are gonna get together for a week, they're gonna march in together, they're gonna hold hands, and they'll all say 'Jesus Christ! This is wonderful!' There's this discovery: 'I had no idea women were such fun!' and, 'God! Blacks are okay—I didn't do anything to offend him, and we became friends!' and, 'God, that guy over there is in his sixties, and I had no idea they were so sexually active!'—[laughs]."

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