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Federation of Gay Games

image located by Erick Bell, January 7, 2003

Federation of Gay Games emblem and flag
San Francisco Gay Olympics

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Federation of Gay Games emblem and flag

I have unearthed the flag and logo of the Federation of Gay Games.
The games were started by Dr. Tom Waddell in 1982. The Federation of Gay Games was created in 1989 to replace San Francisco Arts and Athletics as the Gay Games governing body. The flag, which doubles as the ceremonial flag of the games, consists of the Federation logo of three interlocking circles in blue on a white field. The three circles signify participation, inclusion, and personal best. The flag is presented by the mayor of the host city to the mayor of the next host city during the closing ceremonies. I've attached a graphic of the flag.
Erick Bell, January 7, 2003.

The three circles are in fact the letters G - O - G superimposed over one another so as to make the design symmetrical. The attributes participation, inclusion, and personal best were added later, after the design had been chosen. Dr Wadell's intention was to call these games the Gay Olympic Games, and that was the working name of the organization until the USOC with the backing of the IOC objected and threatened law suits for infringement on the use of the word "Olympic" over which they claim dominion and control as a result of the Amateur Sports Act.
Dr. Wadell, acceded to the demands of the Olympic community, but cleverly, did not change the logo or the design of the flag. The original flags were made by the now defunct Paramount Flag Co. of san Francisco, who supplied the flags for the Gay Games held in that city.
Jim Ferrigan, January 9, 2003

San Francisco Gay Olympics

I found this photo which was taken in San Diego in 1992 or 1993. However, the rainbow flag shown there is charged with the Olympic rings and inscription SAN FRANCISCO, all in white; the inscription can be read after the photo is zoomed to the maximum. Does somebody know anything about this flag's origins and use?
Tomislav Todorovic, 31 August 2014

That would be one of the flags for the San Francisco Gay Olympics - see http://www.ask.com/wiki/Gay_Games?o=2801&qsrc=999&ad=doubleDown&an=apn&ap=ask.com
That flag would pre-date a law suit in 1988 which prohibited the Gay Olympics from using the name "Olympics" or the "Olympic rings". The games are now called simply the Gay Games and use a different symbol above for their new symbol.
Pete Loeser, 31 August 2014