The Gay Games: The Play of Sexuality, Sport - Victoria University ...

informing this chapter. Formal interviews were not conducted during this research
phase, however, all informants were briefed on the nature of this research project and
the ways that their insights and conversations may be incorporated within the thesis.
Contributors were generous in their exchange of knowledge and expertise. Issues of
privacy and confidentiality did not arise as the information provided was always of a
general rather than a personal nature.
By being immersed within the Gay Games movement and at times taking on an
advocacy and leadership role for gay and lesbian sport, I was essentially a complete
participant.'*^ Some commentators have suggested that this is as an ideal for
researchers. 'Total immersion' in the culture under study rather than simply 'passing'
as a member offers safety, the ability to gain insider knowledge readily and the
avoidance of troubles accessing people and information.^^ However, there are
downsides to this approach including continuous maintenance of insider identity, the
constraints of rigorous involvement, the difficulties with maintaining critical distance
and ethical issues such as the inability to gain hiformed consent from the people being
researched.
Gay Games organisers and FGG members wanted a social history of the Gay Games
to be written. During these years of Gay Games movement and research involvement
it was well known that I was researching a history of the Gay Games. I was
continuously asked about the progress of tiiis project. As ethnographic methods were
only supplementary and data collection was basic, general and occurred only at the
'*' Hammersely and Atkinson, Ethnography. Principles in Practice, pp. 103-107.
^° Hammersely and Atkinson, Ethnography. Principles in Practice, pp. 103-105.
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