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Obama: Orlando 'Ideally Suited' to Host Gay Games

Obama: Orlando 'Ideally Suited' to Host Gay Games

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His endorsement of the Florida city's Gay Games bid is most likely the first time a U.S. president has involved himself in the process.

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In what appears to be a first for a U.S. president, Barack Obama has given his support to Orlando, Fla.'s bid to host the Gay Games in 2018.

Obama wrote a letter of support to the organizing committee for Orlando, the only U.S. city seeking to host the 2018 games, according to website Watermark. He notes the role the event has played in advancing LGBT equality, a cause he backs as well, and says Orlando is "ideally suited" to be the site of the games.

He is "almost certainly" the first U.S. president to endorse a city's Gay Games bid, Outsports reports, adding that the British and French prime ministers have backed London's and Paris's respective bids. Amsterdam and Limerick, Ireland, are also seeking to host the games.

"Obama's endorsement is another sign of the mainstreaming of gays into society," Outsports notes. "At one time, this would have been controversial but now it's just a matter of protocol since these events do bring in tourists (and their money)."

However, Gay Games officials are unlikely to pick Orlando, observers say, simply because that would result in two consecutive Gay Games being held in the same country. Cleveland will host the quadrennial event in 2014.

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.