“About my homosexuality - I feel privileged. Sometimes I think I’m experiencing twice as much living as others who have not liberated themselves. Soon, perhaps, we can drop the labels, when we all realize that sexuality is not black and white, but a marvelous nuance.“ Dr. Tom Waddell
Tom Wadell attended college on a Track scholarship, originally majoring in Physical Education. After the death of a close friend, he switch to focus on Pre-Med. By 1965 he was interning at Beth El Hospital, Brooklyn. (The same year he participate in the Selma March.)
When he was drafted in 1966, Waddell was assigned to be a medicine officer and paratrooper. But he protested when he learned he would be shipped to Viet Nam. Instead of being court-martialed, to his surprise he was sent to train for the decathlon in the 1968 Olympics. In Mexico City Waddell placed sixth among the 33 competitors and broke five of his own personal bests.
After his release from the army, Wadell completed his medical residencies and at Conducted research on viruses at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C..
He eventually settled in the Castro District of San Francisco and set up his private practice. His military experience, medical degree, and sports background eventually led to an opportunity to became the team physician for the Saudi Arabian Olympic team at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
While living in San Francisco, Waddell joined a gay bowling league. It inspired him to organize a gay sporting event modeled on the Olympics. The first "Gay Olympics” took place in 1982 as a sports competition and arts festival.
Note: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) sued Waddell’s organization over its use of the word “Olympic.” They won and the event was renamed the Gay Games.
Waddell had several long term relationship in his life. One Zohn Artman who worked in public relations and fundraising. Another important relationship was with Sara Lewinstein, a lesbian athlete he met while working on the Gay Games. They learned that both wanted to have children. Together they had a daughter born in 1983. To ensure their rights were protected, Tom and Sara married in 1985.
Sadly Waddell was diagnosed with AIDS in 1985. He survived to the success of Gay Games II in 1986. He participated in the javelin event, winning the gold medal.
Tom Waddell died from AIDS on July 11, 1987, aged 49. A San Francisco City Clinic where he once worked was named after him.
Voxreminds us that despite all the recent progress the transgender community has made — on health care,Medicare, and discrimination in education and the federal workplace — the military has not been so accommodating. The repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell didn’t end the ban on transgender soldiers, who can be ejected from the military without a medical review, regardless of their ability to serve. Transgender soldiers also can’t access the military health system to get the care they need. For more on their plight, see this recent report from the Palm Center think tank at San Francisco State University.
