Happy Birthday to Rainbow Honor Walk honoree Tom Waddell

Today on the anniversary of his birth, we celebrate the life and legacy of Rainbow Honor Walk honoree Tom Waddell (November 1, 1937 – July 11, 1987).

An Olympic decathlete, physician, and pioneering LGBTQ+ activist, Waddell competed in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics before founding the Gay Games, first held in San Francisco in 1982. His vision was to create an international celebration of athletic achievement, participation, and personal excellence free from discrimination. Although he died of AIDS-related complications at age 49, his legacy lives on through the Gay Games and the generations he inspired to compete with pride, dignity, and equality.

Read historian Bill Lipsky’s tribute in SF Bay Times at the link below: