We recently asked you, our followers, if you watched the Olympics and/or Paralympics. Most of you reported that you watched them in some capacity. For me, the Games are like a two-month-long international holiday. I watched the entire opening ceremony, caught as many events as possible, and shed more tears than I’d like to admit because of inspirational stories from across the globe. There are a few reasons for this. The first being that I love sports. I love to watch and play sports. I love to read sports stories or listen to them on the radio. The second is that the Olympics and Paralympics feel like the underdog always has a chance. It doesn’t matter where an athlete is from, what race they are, or who they love, the Olympics and Paralympics are an opportunity for them to show off. I chose to share about 4 athletes who identify as LGBTQ+. For decades, queer athletes were not welcomed at the games. This year, there were nearly 200 LGBTQ+ athletes, with around 30 of those hailing from the United States.
Tom Daley: beloved diver, knitter, and father. Daley is often seen knitting in the stands, took the world by storm during the Tokyo Olympics when he became an overnight sensation for knitting during events during the Games. I love Daley because he is always radiating queer joy! He’s married to Dustin Lance Black and they have two children. Daley recently announced his retirement from diving and finished his career as Great Britain’s most decorated Olympic diver with five medals.
Diana Taurasi: The GOAT of women’s basketball. Taurasi is the most decorated Olympic Women’s basketball player. She surpassed another gay Olympic legend, Sue Bird, when she won her 6th Olympic gold. Taurasi married her former teammate, Penny Taylor, in 2017. They have two children. Taurasi is one of my favorites because she is unapologetically herself, no matter the stage, and that was true in Paris as well.
Nikki Hiltz: Hiltz is a highly decorated collegiate athlete. The middle-distance runner came out as transgender in 2021. The Olympics were such a dream for Hiltz, that they decided to postpone their transition until after the Games. You might recognize Hiltz from Tik-Tok, where their girlfriend documented their experience at the games. Hiltz says they sometimes resent being a competitive runner, because of it’s impact on their transition. Nevertheless, Hiltz continues to break barriers, most recently as the first openly non-binary American Athlete to compete at the Olympic Games.
Few things are more joyful than a marriage proposal, especially an LGBTQ+ engagement. The day I got engaged was one of the best of my life. Add on getting engaged at the Paralympics and it’s an unforgettable moment shared with the world. Mexican Paralympian Brenda Osnaya didn’t have the race she had hoped to in the triathlon, learning at the finish line that she had been disqualified for penalties. Osnaya wasn’t going to leave Paris without adding some hardware to her life. She proposed to her girlfriend and coach, Jessica González. Osnaya and González shared their queer joy with the world.
There was a time when Olympic athletes were predominately male. There was a time when only straight athletes could compete. Now, we’ve entered what seems to be a new era of the Olympics, with the most LGBTQ+ athletes. At the games, queer athletes are like any other, there to show off their life’s work on the biggest stage. I can’t wait to see the number of athletes representing the LGBTQ+ community at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and spreading their joy for the world to see!
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