If you’ve ever lived in or visited a city that was hosting an Olympic game you can fill the excitement in the air, even if you’re not a sports fan. For the host location the excitement begins the moment they find out they’ve been awarded the games. But the big burn explodes in the year that proceeds the actual event.
Queer Olympic History
During the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta – the most recent to be held in our country – neighboring counties in South Carolina and Georgia were part of the excitement because the Olympic torch was scheduled to pass through their regions. Unscrupulous politicians, however, decided to cash in on the resulting notoriety and announce that their residential areas were not compatible with “the gay lifestyle” (their words at the time not ours). In the end all they got was a reroute of the torch around their counties and no media attention.
What does that history blurb prove? The Olympic Committee generally has our backs. They did in 1996, and they’re trying to in 2024.
What the IOC is (and isn’t) doing now
In stories carried by the LGBTQ+ website Outsports, the International Olympic committee confirmed they are committed to allowing all athletes the “equal opportunity to express themselves” and that athletes will be allowed to speak out against homophobia, transphobia and other issues impacting the LGBTQ+ community as it relates to sports. However, displays of the rainbow flag at the Paris Olympics, when not done in protected locations and times, will be given consideration on a “case by case” basis.
As the battle over trans rights in the United States continues to spill over like a toxic stew infecting other western countries, the International Olympic Committee, has not escaped scrutiny from anti-trans organizations. Initial guidelines from the IOC allowed any trans female athlete to compete in cisgender women’s competitions as long as their testosterone levels were below 10 nanomoles per liter at least 12 months before competition.
That has since changed. In March of 2021, the Olympics World Athletics governing council made the decision to ban trans female athletes who passed puberty before transitioning from any high-level cisgender female competition. Later that year in November 2021, the IOC designed what they called a “Framework for Fairness” program, which placed the decision-making process for the allowance of trans individuals taking part in Olympic sporting events in the hands of competing sports organizations.
Furthermore, the Union Cycliste Internationale, organizers of World Cycling in Switzerland, the Disc Golf Pro Tour, World Athletics, the British Triathlon Federation and the International Rugby League has changed or adopted new “transgender participation policies” that – for the most part – ban trans women from competing with cisgender women.
While all of that is disheartening and smacks of discrimination, it doesn’t exactly mean that trans Olympic hopefuls can’t compete at all.
As indicated from some of the athletes covered in this story, trans competition is continuing, despite the offensive overtones of intolerance.
Acceptance of LGBTQ athletes in the Olympics
As far back as 1996 and the IOC provided an LGBTQ Welcoming Center for athletes that are members of our community. That became a generally standard practice, at least until the games were held in Russia in 2014.
Tokyo carried on with the tradition at the summer games in 2016, when an estimated 186 out and proud LGBTQ+ and non-binary athletes came to one of the world’s largest cities for Olympic competition. That was more than triple the number of out individuals who participated in the 2016 Rio Games. This year the numbers are expected to reach as high as 300.
Set to kick off July 26 in Paris, here’s a list of athletes who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Australia
Campbell Harrison, an Australian gay man, will compete in Paris in rock climbing this year. In a social media post, Harrison shared his feelings about the opportunity to participate in the Olympics.
“The only way I can truly express how I felt in this moment is by showing it to you. This was the culmination of more than a decade of blood sweat, tears and heartbreak.
“The pressure I felt going into this final was physically painful, to the point where I didn’t know that I could stand it.
“Coming into the lead round with everything on the line I … erupted at the top of the wall [with] fury, joy and pride. I cried like I’ve never cried before because it’s an accomplishment of a magnitude I could never truly comprehend.”
Canada
Kadeisha Buchanan identifies as queer and will represent Canada when they compete in women’s soccer at the Paris Summer Olympic games. After growing up and the Toronto Metro area, Buchanan played football, basketball and soccer, in addition to volleyball. She shot to notoriety in 2015 when she became the FIFA women’s World cup best young player. She was also named Canadian player of the year in 2015, 2017 and 2020. Much-loved in her native country, it’s easy to understand why when she talks about Canada. “I am proud to be Canadian,” she offers. “Canadians are the nicest people on the planet [and] very multicultural. I take a lot of pride on being the first generation Canadian in my family.”
Canada
They go by the singular name Quinn and identify as non-binary, although they sometimes identify as transgender. Blazing pathways in Olympic competition for the LGBTQ+ community, the soccer champion, is expected to be a high level contender at the Paris Summer Olympic Games. Assigned female at birth, they continue to play professional women’s soccer and are proud of their opportunity to serve as a role model for Trans youth. “I want to be a visible figure for young trans folk [and] for people questioning their gender and exploring their gender.”
New Zealand
Openly gay Robbie Manson is a rower from New Zealand. Born into a family of professional rowers, his father Greg was the singles lightweight national champion in 1985 and his brother Carl has also competed internationally. Robbie won a bronze medal at the 2015 worldwide champions and will compete in the Paris Olympics representing his home country of New Zealand. A former Olympic contende, he’s excited about another chance at the games. “It’s cool to be nominated! I figure I’m probably not gonna win it, but I hope to get my followers and supporters [back] on board!
New Zealand
Yet another New Zealander and a rower, Emma Twigg identifies as a lesbian and is married to her wife Charlotte, so with him she shares a son. Twig is very familiar with Olympic competition; she will be competing in the Paris Olympics this year, following a string of appearances and multiple Olympic events, including 2008, 2012, 2014 and 2016. In 2014 she was recognized as the world champion and one gold in her fourth Olympics and Tokyo in July 2021. With so many Olympic years under her belt, she has wise words to share. “For anyone who’s had a little bit of failure…just keep at it. If you believe you can do something and you know your worth, then the world’s your oyster.”
United States
Sha’carri Richardson is a native of the United States and identifies as bisexual. Often referred to as the fastest woman in the world, Richardson accomplished her highest personal best to date with a 10.72 second run, making her the sixth fastest woman of all time and the fourth fastest American woman in history. She qualified for the 2020 Olympics after running 10.83, but later tested for cannabis in her system and was disqualified. She will be running in the 2024 games in Paris as the team leader. While it is fairly common knowledge Richardson has faced her own fair share of challenges, she has proudly bounced back far stronger than before. Said Richardson after peeling off her fake nails and an orange wig at a track competition: “I had to shed off the old to reveal the new!”
Venezuela
Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas is a track and field champion who will compete at the Paris Olympics this year. She is exceptionally out, loud and proud and says that her identity and orientation is an important part of her life and her career. “You can achieve anything,” says Rojas. “There is nothing you can’t accomplish if you push for it.”