From The Editor: Sports and Much, Much More!

This time of year, we publish our annual Sports issue. And, here we are…

Unlike previous years that we publish an edition with this theme, you may have noticed that this issue has more than just sports. This year, we added outdoor activities to the mix.

Why did we expand this issue to include outdoor activities? It is all because of you.

As a community, we love to let the world know how active we are year-round. This goes beyond gym workouts and running down the street. We love to do more. Whether it is Nordic skiing, hiking, camping, and even more extreme outdoors sports, we’re doing it!

To that point, we also love to participate in our community’s sporting activities. From pickleball and bowling to ice hockey and softball, we’re doing it! And we love doing it!

Doing is what drives us to connect with our fellow LGBTQ+ people. We want to be active, involved, and engaged. We want to connect with people who are like minded that enjoy the same activities. That is how you build community.

Another way to build community is to enjoy activities together from the stands. I mentioned before that we love see ourselves in the stands, as well as down on the field of play. Or, court…ice…etc. Even though there are many of us would rather not admit it, we’re sports fans, too.

We also want inspiration to live our best lives. That is why we look at people in our community who have emerged in professional sports that are amongst us. We become fans of those athletes who fly our flag while performing at the best level.

That includes our allies. We constantly remind ourselves that in order for us to be a community, we embrace those who support us from the outside. That is why we gravitate to a select number of athletes who speak up for us in places where we are not present.

I have said this in these pages – and outside of them – that we’re a very well-rounded culture and community. So much so that we’re everywhere. Whether it’s on the ice, in the gym, on the hiking trail or in the stands, we’re everywhere you want to be.

This issue covers all of it. I wished we had space for more…

There are so many stories to tell. That is what informs my work at Lavender. And, yes, we want to tell those stories – the ones that have not been told.

So, sit back and give this issue a good read. Then, get inspired! Get out there with your fellow LGBTQ+ folks and participate. Or, spectate.