The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France were as gay as could be, and we’re all the better for it. Throughout this year’s competitions, queer athletes have been dominating their sports, kissing their partners on international television, and representing their countries as well as the LGBTQ+ community with a fire in their hearts.
While there were some controversies that trace back to homophobia and transphobia, let’s look back on the good stuff; queer folks crushed these Olympic Games!
The games kicked off with a tableau runway of drag queens recreating a Dionysian bacchanal (not the Last Supper, as many were up in arms about) and Lady Gaga as a headlining performer. In addition, a pre-recorded short film that accompanied the opening ceremonies featured a love triangle that turned into a queer throuple.
The entire ceremony had conservatives clutching their pearls, but overall perfectly kicked off what turned out to be a very gay Olympics—and the most viewed ceremony since the 2012 Olympics in London, England, with nearly 29,000,000 viewers worldwide.
Beloved queer Team GB diver Tom Daley won his fifth Olympic gold medal in front of his husband and their two children in the men’s 10-meter platform synchronized diving event. His diving partner Noah Williams kissed him on the cheek on the podium as Daley waved his rainbow towel in the air upon his win.
Meanwhile, over in judo, Team Italy’s Alice Bellandi kissed her girlfriend, Jasmine Martin (also a judo practitioner, hailing from South Africa) to celebrate her shiny new Olympic gold in the 78kg division. Italian media referred to the moment as a “hug,” likely in keeping with Italy’s somewhat conservative politics.
Out gay boxer Cindy Ngamba won the Refugee Olympic Team’s first-ever medal. She beat France’s Davina Michel to get to the 75kg semifinals to receive a bronze. Not only is Ngamba making history as the first winner of a Refugee Olympic Team medal, but being queer makes it all the more meaningful for young LGBTQ+ people around the world.
If Team LGBTQ+ existed across all nations, it would have the eighth most medals out of all the teams competing in this year’s Olympic Games.
Photo courtesy of social media
