After 12 years, Tewksbury returned to competition last November at the 12th Coupe de Montréal photo: Montreal 2006/Olivier Samson Arcand (OSA Images)

Tewksbury orders an omelette and talks with that great TV voice of his, the one that makes him a perfect sports commentator on CTV and CBC, the voice that has powered him through 17 years of public speaking and made him the face (and co-president) of Montreal's 2006 OutGames.

"Male audiences are less demonstrative and it has to do with masculinity," Tewskbury says. "One time I had to speak to senior-level bankers - 200 of them - and their concern concerned me. I think they were making sure I wasn't too gay."

Which is the story of so many athletes desperately trying to fit in, trying hard to not be so obviously gay in a sports world where the closet still reigns supreme. Alberta native Tewksbury - famously in the closet for so many years - finally harnessed the power of coming out and in the process modelled himself into a personality Canadians like and trust.

"A gold medal opens doors," says Tewksbury, who won his swimming the 100-metre backstroke at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. "But you need more than a medal after 13 years."

When the Canadian swim team imploded at the Olympic Games in Athens last summer, Tewksbury was a commentator with the CBC. And what struck him was that few athletes spoke with reporters afterwards, denying children - aspiring Olympians - watching on TV back home the opportunity of seeing a hero they might identify with.

"It's a different era," Tewksbury says. "There was little money in my day. Now there's this star-system attitude. The Australian and American teams now have press agents. You have to request an interview. That wasn't heard of 10-20 years ago."

And he was back working on-camera when Montreal hosted the FINA World Aquatic Championships earlier this summer.

"The crowds turned out and they were gracious," Mark says. "And Montreal 2006 was there too. We had the biggest outreach tent during the games. It was so incredible to me because this [gay outreach] didn't exist 12 years ago. It was inconceivable. What ground we've made. And it was also important to see the delivery of the event, the site, the venues and contacts with thousands of volunteers. And we bridge, which is the whole point of gay and lesbian sport. How do you get rid of homophobia? It'll take another 10 or 20 years to change, but we've become the buzz of the Canadian sports system."

Make no mistake: Tewksbury is a great pitchman for Montreal 2006.

And - unlike me - he can't really be bothered by the pit bulls that run the Federation of Gay Games, who keep bitching (along with folks like Washington Blade executive editor Chris Crain) that Montreal walked away after spending $500,000 of hard-earned Canadian taxpayer money to win the race to host the 2006 Gay Games. When the FGG demanded financial control of the event - essentially grabbing the keys to the vault without any accountability - Montreal ended up hosting the competing 2006 OutGames while Chicago scrambled to prepare for their 2006 replacement Gay Games.

"It wasn't about the numbers. They weren't so terrifying," Mark explains. "Financial control was the deal breaker. When they [the FGG] say we walked away, it boggles my mind. After two years of trying to land a licensing agreement, we sat in Chicago [the night of Nov. 9, 2003] for 15 hours. At 2 in the morning we received a contract that once again did not reflect any of the language we had agreed to."

Before everything came to a head at an FGG convention vote the next day, Nov. 10, Mark says, "I did everything humanly possible as co-president to save it. I called every single federation member. Every single one."

Which makes the FGG's vilification of Montreal especially nasty.

To make matters worse, the FGG deliberately scheduled Chicago's replacement games two weeks ahead of Montreal's, which will run next July 29 to Aug. 5.

"It was very hurtful," Mark says. "Now I'm much more removed from it. Now I'm focused on the delivery of our [own] games. With 10 months to go we're right on target. We will deliver a budget in September that will secure delivery of the games. We are now expecting 12,000 sports participants [over 6,000 have already registered], 2,000 human rights conference participants, and 2,000 cultural participants. Globally we're looking at 16,000 people, which will make these the biggest games ever."

Last week GLISA (the Gay and Lesbian International Sport Association) announced at Montreal city hall that the 2009 OutGames will be held in Copenhagen, and both Manchester and São Paulo have put up their names for 2013.

"Montreal is now looking at a financial surplus for the games, and when we're done I will be busy handing over the legacy of Montreal to the next host city - a database of 50,000 contacts worldwide, media relationships with every single major market in the world, a registration system etc.," The Tewk says, flashing his million-dollar smile. "Now we're getting ready to welcome the world to Montreal in 2006."

Essential buttplug Mark Tewksbury will address issues of spirituality, openness and dedication in his talk "Spirituality Works out Here" at the Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom (4100 Sherbrooke St. W.) on Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m. Open to all. $10. For more info, call 937-3575.

 
 

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To all those who feel that gay games are unnecessary     I'd have to agree that there is no need for Outgames... if the playing fields were level, if there were no discrimination within "Regular" olympics, if the average male athletes didn't flaunt their heterosexuality with twice as much vigour as any gay athlete. In fact, one could say that *any* gay organisation is superfluous in a perfect world, and that gays are just ghettoizing themselves if they ever join a support group, because we should all just get along and forget about our differences. Unfortunately, that is not the case, and to argue that we're already living in this dream world is to have one's head in the sand--or to assume that, just because you don't have a problem as a heterosexual, everyone else must feel the same way. As long as homophobia lives on, there will be a need to fight that problem *by any available means.* Gay games are among those means (and, might I add, they're also very effective, whether it's financially or image-wise). So unless you can come up with an alternate solution which is so much better that it makes the Outgames superfluous, just Shut the F*ck Up.
Charles Montpetit	{2 votes}	October 3rd, 2005
Out Games are a necessity     Some readers believe OutGames should not exist. I disagree. First of all, Outgames are not created only for the elite. It's created so everyone can join in. Gay people but also all of their friends. It's important once in a while to have to be among your peers. Of course thay don't have special needs like the paralympians do. But denying them the right to create their own sports gathering is not very far from being homophobic. Recently were held the Police and Firefighters Games. Many policemen and policewomen from all over the world came to compete in a friendly atmosphere. Many firefighters came as well so they could be with people with different backgrounds, different personalities but with one thing in common: being a firefighter. And I guess it must be important because many showed up. Gay Olympians don't go around prancing about being gay but they should. Why should we get to hear about Despastie's devastating heartbreak with his girlfriend all over magazines but not read about it if the same thing had happen to, let's stay, Tewksbury. What do people always believe that when gays talk about who they are, they're trying to shove it down everybody's throat. But when straight people go around thanking their wives, their husbands, when we see Steffi Graf cheering for Andre Agassi, what is it if it is not prancing around telling everyone how very heterosexual they are. Let's be consistant here.
Marc Charette	{23 votes}	September 12th, 2005
Get 'Out'     While I won't deny the fact that Tewksbury being an Olympic gold medallist and knowing lots about sports to have broadcast live for CBC during Athens is a fantastic local athlete, I will never agree with the need for the OutGames. I agree with religious sects - synagogues, churches, mosques, and any other sanctuaries that bring together religions for prayer and community gatherings. I agree with clubs, and community centres that give people of the same culture and backgrounds the opportunity to mingle and meet people like themselves. I agree with the Gay Pride parade, because well, we have Christmas parades and St. Patty's Day parades, so why not display their pride as well? I even agree with the Paralympics, the Olympic games for the physically challenged. We can't compete at the same level as them, and they have different sports, so I very much see a purpose in their own event. But the OutGames? Do gay people have special needs? Are they incapable of competing against "real" athletes? I think these games are absolute nonsense. Tewsbury asks, "How do you get rid of homophobia?". Well Sir, definitely NOT by isolating the gay people even more by assigning them their own Olympics. No doubt there are tons of athletes in the official Olympics that are gay, but we don't see them prancing around announcing it all over the place, and we don't see them complaining about competing against fellow athletes. I fully support gay pride, but to the point where they feel like they need to have their own games is kinda pushing it. You want to eliminate homophobia by giving them their own games? How on earth does that work? It's like saying I'm Jewish and I'm sick of anti-semitism, so to eliminate it, I'm going to create my own Olympics. Right. Because that's really going to help ignorant people. Why don't the gay community do what they've always done, and just be proud to be gay; no matter where they play or what people say? An athlete is an athlete; no matter who you are.
Vanessa Hasid	{28 votes}	September 11th, 2005
Of highest regard for Mr. Tewksbury     I have, on numerous occasions, been in the same room with Mr. Tewksbury...even stood beside him a few times. Hell, I've been introduced to the man once or twice and greeted him at the Black and Blue Welcome Centre as he arrived to pick up some event tickets, which I gave him personally....but he has yet to say two words to me. And time and again, interview after interview, I am reminded that it's not because he is an arrogant bastard. He does not have an ego as big as a dancer at Campus or a twink at Unity. He is just simply a very busy man who has to chose who he is gonna reply or respond to and well, who the hell am I? He has always been courteous and polite and always a gentleman and I couldn't be happier having such an upstanding man representing "my kind" in front of the world, whether it be as an Olympic athlete or co-President of the 2006 OutGames. He has shown time and again that he is a man of integrity and character, and by standing his ground concerning the FGG, it made me respect him even more. The FGG are the ones who clearly made a horrible mistake by playing bully with some thing as important for our community as the Gay Games, and their actions since the separation have shown that they are clearly in it for the money, and the playground spite is just an added bonus. The OutGames, however, have just continued on with their mission to uphold the idea of it being a gay sporting event, and not all about profit. These events should be about the events themselves, not about the bottom line, especially when it is clear that we have the bottom line covered, which was the case (for the first time, most likely) with the initial Montreal Gay Games plan. They dropped the ball, so to speak...watch Montreal run with it. As part of the BBCM, I will be very proud to do my part for the OutGames in my own little, miniscule way. And Mark, if you read this and have anything to pick up at the Black & Blue Welcome Centre this year, say hello, will ya?
Damion Rowan	{15 votes}	September 8th, 2005
Three Dollar Bull!     Hate to be a downer but Mark Tewsbury being the face (and co-president) of Montreal's 2006 OutGames won't make to much of a difference when it comes the homophobic sports public and the media as a whole. Wanna bet that the total time devoted to the Outgames on CBC, CTV, Global, RDS and TSN won't amount to much? Sure there may be some token reporting but you and I both know that won't be enough to raise the profile of the event unless the Outgames truly find a media hook that'll put them over the top.
Pedro Eggers	{2 votes}	November 19th, 2005
Crowded Week     omg, I saw Mark Tewsbury once at Pie-IX metro but I couldn't get close enough to him to say hi because I was too busy trying to pick myself up out of the drool that was pouring out of my mouth onto the metro floor... yeah, anyways. The guy uses the metro? Wow! A normal not so stuck up celebrity type. Refreshing to see. OK, rant over. This guy, whom I have never met, and only know through the many years of exposure he has had, seems in my eyes to be a super role-model for all people. I mean, all people. Not just the gay ones. This man has overcome so much. And it was after he was a celebrity. So he actually seems as if he used what he earned to better things for other people. And that is also refreshing. As for the Gay Games, I am not too sure what I think of them. As good as they are for the city and tourism in general, could it not have been planned for another time than it is. I mean, of all the times to choose, they plop it right in the middle of Gay Pride. This city is busy enough at that time, and to add to the confusion is, well, nuts! I guess we'll see next summer.
Allan Morris	{2 votes}	October 19th, 2005
Mark Tewksbury     This guy is a real hero!! He won a gold medal and he really deserved it, after all the heart and hard work he put into it, he was ready to win. Indeed, he won and that helped him in his personal life...he came out of the closet which I'm sure helped a lot of people from the gay community. He should be proud of himself because he achieved quite a bit for his young age. Congratulations for all your achievements Mark!!
Lise Auger	{2 votes}	September 13th, 2005
Outing the out...     I really have mixed feelings about any gay games.. regardless of who holds it. While I do not support people being "outed" without their consent, as I feel sexuality is a personal issue rather than a "community event" - I do understand the reasons that some people do believe in it. That being said - an organized "gay games" seems almost ridiculous- because it feels to me like a "second class" event ( compared to the Olympics ). It's almost a feeling of the atheletes involved not being as good as the so-called "regular" atheletes ( some of whom are gay as Tewksbury is ). Being that gay men and women want to be accepted and treated like they were anybody else - with the same rights, priveledges ( as well as reponsibilities ) - it seems almost ironic to support an event which is almost by definition "second class" to the real event ( ie- the Olympics ). I won't even get into whether or not heterosexuals should be accepted as participants into the gay games- and the can of worms that opens. I guess the games does paint itself as being a celebration of being gay in these rough times, rather than as a showcase of atheletes - which is ok I guess. The only bothersome factor with this- is the fact every article I've read about he games - mentions how much money it will generate for the city, rather than what it will add to the community itself.
Rob Postuma	{1 vote}	September 12th, 2005
More Public Appearances     Mark Tewksbury should have attended the Open House on Labour Day Weekend at the spanking new pools in Jean Drapeau Park that hosted the 2006 FINA Aquatic Championships. Just a few of the diving medal winners were on hand. He would have met a lot of ordinary people of all walks of life who could not afford the expensive tickets for the World Championships. He would have signed autographs and been a source of inspiration for the gay population. He could have even hosted some of the water sports contests.
Stephen Talko	{5 votes}	September 8th, 2005
Stand and be proud.     It must be difficult to be gay and have to hide it just so you can join sports compititions and things like the police force or army. You a minority and you are judged by your performances but on the hetrosexual level. Personally I think when your and athlete your are an athlete no mater what color , religion , race or gender. Your qualifications should be judged solely on your atheletic preformances and nothing else. It is a tough wolrd out there I feel bad he went through tough times, but he won and he is a great athlete and that is all that counts.
Maria Cecillia Silva	{2 votes}	September 14th, 2005

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