Raising the Rainbow Flag Springfield College hasn’t always been welcoming to LGBTQIA+ athletes. But, in recent years, the campus has seen a shift led by student advocates and leaders.
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By Carley Crain
Photography by Hayden Choate and Springfield Athletics
er bright rainbow sash was hard to miss as she walked side-by-side with students in the front of the pack. The vibrant display of color worn across her chest was not only a visual representation of Springfield College President Mary-Beth Cooper’s commitment to equality, but also a sign of how far the College has come in regard to LGBTQIA+ rights on campus. This year marked the second annual Pride Parade on campus. Cooper has been at the forefront of each of them. Springfield College has been home to some of the most prominent members of the LGBTQIA+ community, but for some, their sexual identity was actively surpressed on campus.
Tom Waddell (‘59), a student who excelled in a unique trio of sports – gymnastics, football and track – was one of the best Springfield College athletes of all time. He qualified for the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games in the decathlon, and placed sixth. A few years later, Waddell came out as gay in People Magazine, but for most of his life, he closeted his sexuality. He knew that, with his growing platform as an athlete, he had a bigger purpose. Waddell started the Gay Games in 1982 with the hopes of celebrating LGBTQIA+ athletes on a global scale. The Gay Games’ mission is to promote equality and inclusivity throughout sport. Not long after he started the Gay Games, Waddell was diagnosed with AIDS. He died in the summer of 1987 after a two-year battle fighting the disease. In the fall of that year, Springfield College’s alumni magazine featured a remembrance piece in his honor. Both his sexual identity and the Gay Games were left out, however, as the piece simply stated: “He is survived by his wife, Sara Lewinstein, and their daughter, Jessica.” To some, leaving his sexual orientation out of the article was purposeful. Two alums, Physical Education professor James Genasci ‘50 and his wife, Jean, who graduated in 1955, wrote a letter to the magazine criticizing the College’s actions: “To have Tom’s gayness omitted from the alumni magazine article reflects the omission and silence in our society that perpetuates homophobia, and prevents the Humanics philosophy from achieving full maturity.” The letter was never published. Three years after his death in 1990, more questionable acts arose surrounding Waddell. Many thought that Waddell would be one of the first athletes inducted into the Hall of Fame because of both his extraordinary athletic ability and commitment to equality in sports globally. His name was not announced until 1990. The original plaque located in the Springfield College gymnasium men-
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