LGBTQ+ in Sports

[Olympian1010 8,274]

For those interested, this outlet generally keeps tabs on LGBTQ+ athletes at the Olympics: https://www.outsports.com/2021/7/12/22565574/tokyo-summer-olympics-lgbtq-gay-athletes-list/

[Pasolini 277]

On 3/17/2024 at 8:51 AM, Adriano said:

We used to have LGBT representation recently. In Tokyo we had 3 girls (Zillman rowing - no quota now, Jarmolinska - shooting - end her career, Ogar-Hill was in polish

wide team in sailing, but not start in mixed 470).  So now in Paris we will not have an open LGBT person. Ofcourse it's  a high possibiloty to have LGBT in person, but they are not officialy open about this (we used to have this kind of people, it's  not hard to know if you are checking social media). I understand this, but this kind of activity could be helpful for polish LGBT young people. But they are prefer choosing making ig content closer to modelling. It's their decision.

Yeah, I agree but I try to think in the positive half-glass-full way.

In the past everybody was assumed to be straight until they had their official coming out.

Nowadays it is still the same, but through instagram and other social media you can see athletes comfortable enough to show same-gender boyfriends/girlfriends even if they don't see themselves as ambassadors etc.

 

We have to remember that most of them have spent their entire lives focused on sport, so they many times are unaware of major social issues or just don't have the strength/time/abilities to do that.

 

That's why I like that IOC NOCs and affiliates (such as IOA) are creating more educational programs for the athletes.

[Swewi 461]

On 3/17/2024 at 6:15 PM, Olympian1010 said:

For those interested, this outlet generally keeps tabs on LGBTQ+ athletes at the Olympics: https://www.outsports.com/2021/7/12/22565574/tokyo-summer-olympics-lgbtq-gay-athletes-list/

What is so sad is how few Open men there are. Still more acceptance for gay women in sports than men.

[Pasolini 277]

For now, the only open gay judoka, Timo Cavelius is losing ground on the Olympic ranking and maybe will not go to Paris afterall.

[vinipereira 3,462]

6 hours ago, Swewi said:

What is so sad is how few Open men there are. Still more acceptance for gay women in sports than men.

Yeah. For Brazil I can only think of Arthur Nory (Gymnastics) and Douglas Souza (Volleyball) when considering active athletes who participated in the Olympics (both Rio 2016 medalists). And I don't think they will be in Paris (Nory has a slim chance of being selected, but Douglas doesn't want to play for the NT anymore). Maique (Volleyball) might join them but probably won't be on the team.

 

There's also a few that are pretty much "out" on social media but have never officially spoken about it.

[heywoodu 16,142]

2 hours ago, vinipereira said:

There's also a few that are pretty much "out" on social media but have never officially spoken about it.

Hopefully one day (although sadly I doubt it) this will be the normal situation: simply living their regular life like anyone else, without excplicitly 'having' (according to society) to announce them being anything else than straight.

 

Not sure if I'm wording this exactly how I mean it, so just to be clear: what I mean is that I hope one day (which sadly doesn't seem to be close) being gay, bi or anything is considered just as normal by society as being straight, and it's not a matter of 'if you don't explicitly come out, you must be straight' anymore.

[vinipereira 3,462]

7 hours ago, heywoodu said:

Not sure if I'm wording this exactly how I mean it, so just to be clear: what I mean is that I hope one day (which sadly doesn't seem to be close) being gay, bi or anything is considered just as normal by society as being straight, and it's not a matter of 'if you don't explicitly come out, you must be straight' anymore.

I see some progress in the newer generations. Some younger athletes who are gay are just living their lives freely and I feel there isn't so much of a pressure to came out anymore. But of course each case is different and for most of them the possibility of living their truth comes only after they retire from the sport.

[yaky22 38]

In Tokyo we   had at least 3 representatives who are LGBTQ+ (from what I know) and all have (or will get ) the quata for Paris, raz hershko (judo) Anat lelior (surfing) and Moran Samuel (paralympic rowing) 

I think we have one or 2 more in the community in the team, but these are the once I know of 

 

[vinipereira 3,462]

Nick Albiero (Swimming) has qualified for the Olympics!

 

[Pasolini 277]

Timo Cavelius was silver medalist at Astana Grand Slam!!! He is now in a qualifying position but still needs a good run at the WC to make sure he will go to Paris