Posted October 13, 2020 in Press Releases
CLEVELAND — Greater Cleveland Sports Commission will host OUT Competing: A virtual film series celebrating LGBTQIA athletes who are changing perceptions in sports on Wednesday, Nov. 11 – Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020 on a digital streaming platform.
Held in conjunction with LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland’s Trans in the CLE! event, this film series will provide exclusive access to three feature documentaries that shed light on the obstacles that LGBTQIA athletes face in our present-day sports culture and what they endure to overcome those challenges.
The following documentaries will be featured:
- “Alone in the Game” by David McFarland, Creator and Executive Producer, follows a group of elite athletes and iconic figures to explore the ongoing struggles LGBTQIA athletes are facing at the professional, collegiate and Olympic levels.
- “Changing the Game” by Michael Barnett, Director, takes viewers into the lives of three transgender high school athletes whose fight to participate in the sports they love has become one of the most controversial cultural touchpoints.
- “Transformer” by Michael Del Monte, Director, details how Matt "Kroc" Kroczaleski, former U.S. Marine and world record weightlifter, was publicly outed as being transgender in the summer of 2015. After being banned from competing, disowned by her parents and changing her name to “Janae,” this film follows her as she attempts to find her place in society.
Tickets are available online and range from $5 per film and $12 for all three films. Processing fees may apply. Ticket purchasers may watch the films at their convenience anytime between Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 12 a.m. to Sunday, Nov. 15 at 11:45 p.m. Ticket sales and streaming are restricted to Ohio residents only.
Additionally, all ticket purchasers will have access to a live Q&A with Janae Marie Kroc, star of “Transformer,” on Saturday, Nov. 14, as well as other pre-recorded educational panels with local LGBTQIA experts.
Learn more about LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland’s events here.
OUT Competing is a series of our Velocity programming, a community-wide initiative of Greater Cleveland Sports Commission to support and maximize the community impact of hosting some of the most significant events in sports. Cleveland is host of the 2019 MLB All-Star Week, 2021 NFL Draft, 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend and 2024 NCAA DI Women’s Final Four. Community events provide opportunities to extend each event’s footprint in Northeast Ohio. These programs will highlight important social issues such as diversity and inclusion and provide opportunities to underserved populations. More information about Velocity can be found at velocitycle.org.
###
About Greater Cleveland Sports Commission: Since 2000, Greater Cleveland Sports Commission (GCSC) is responsible for attracting nearly 200 sporting events which provide over $795 million in economic activity to Northeast Ohio. GCSC supports the local economy, utilizes sports as a vehicle to forward community agendas and maintains a goal of producing events that are more successful when held in Cleveland than in other cities. For more information, visit clevelandsports.org.
About LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland: Celebrating 45 years in 2020, the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland continues to uphold their mission of enriching the lives of the diverse LGBTQ+ community through advocacy, support, education, and celebration in Northeast Ohio. In 2019, they outgrew their basement space after more than 19 years in the Arcade and made the decision to stay in the Gordon Square Arts District as they discussed plans for expansion.
Less than a year into their new 15,000 square feet building, the Center has expanded their free to low cost services for individuals of all ages through their computer lab, business incubator, programs for youths and seniors, MetroHealth Pride Clinic, and more. Each year, the Center brings visibility and awareness not only to Detroit Shoreway, but to the City of Cleveland through their nationally recognized events including their annual Pride in the CLE march and festival, Trans in the Cle conference, and LGBT Heritage Day awards. For more information, visit lgbtcleveland.org.