As the Philadelphia Fins Aquatic Club celebrates its 30th anniversary as a welcoming and inclusive place for LGBTQ swimmers, it continues to try to bridge the gap between LGBTQ athletes and the wider community, said Arthur Zeng, Fins president.
“When we started in 1988, it was during a time when a lot of gay athletes weren’t allowed to practice or be a part of sports teams. Things have changed over the years and now we’re celebrating 30 years of the LGBT community’s progression in sports,” Zeng said.
The Fins, a masters swim team specifically for LGBTQ swimmers and allies, will mark its anniversary with a party Nov. 30 at the William Way LGBT Community Center. For three decades, the club has been “a safe place for gay athletes to practice, work out and encourage each other,” Zeng added.
The Fins currently have more than 190 registered members and 90 active members. The team, which consists of nonprofessional competitive swimmers, welcomes swimmers at all levels from those who have never competed to national record holders. The Fins is affiliated with the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics, an international organization that promotes LGBT swimming, water polo, diving and synchronized swimming and United States Masters Swimming, a national membership-operated nonprofit that provides membership benefits to masters swimmers nationwide.
Zeng noted that the team’s demographic has changed over the years to include non-LGBTQ swimmers. Currently, about half of the Fins’ roster consists of members who do not self-identify as LGBTQ.
“We’re here for anyone who is interested in swimming and supporters of the LGBT community,” he said. The club also acts as a social space for swimmers in the community.
The 30th anniversary celebration will highlight the achievements of former and current Fins members. An exhibit of Fins medals and plaques will be on display.
The Philadelphia Fins 30th Anniversary celebration will be held 6-9 p.m. Nov. 30. at the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. Tickets are $30. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://bit.ly/2DZU1aP.