How Queer Folks are Shaking Up the Olympics
With more out athletes and proud LGBTQ olympians than ever before, there are more and more stories popping up in our news feeds about what queer Olympians are up to. Here is a rundown of some of the queerest moments of the Winter Olympics 2018!
Out, Gay Freeskier Makes U.S. Team
Not long ago, being an Olympian was a bit like being in the army. If you wanted to make the team, you kept quiet about your sexuality. Thankfully, today it is not so, and as New Now Next reports, Gus Kenworthy is officially out, gay, and playing for the home team, so to speak. Plus, for those reading locally, Kenworthy hails from Colorado!
Kenworthy is officially the first out, gay man in the Olympic actionsports, and the second to represent Team USA. He just placed second in the Freeski Slopestyle Finals last week. H was also just in a Head & Shoulders commercial, during which he flew a rainbow flag.
”There are all these stereotypes and stigmas that people have associated in their mind over time, but nothing breaks barriers down more than visibility or representation,” he told New Now Next. “Having someone at the Olympics, the pinnacle event in sports, competing against the best in the world and being out and proud and gay and getting a medal, it would be amazing. There is pressure that comes with this responsibility and I feel I have a responsibility to the LGBT community now. I want to lead by example and I want to be a positive example and an inspiration for any kids that I can.”
Queer Snowboarder Belle Brockhoff Stands Up to Hate
Although she’s not in the Olympics this year, this 2013 Olympian is openly LGBTQ and makes it a point to stand up against the hate. She was vocal about opposing anti-queer propaganda in Russia during the last Olympics, and is a supporter of the #TimesUp movement and marriage equality in Australia.
“I’m not afraid of these laws and I want others that live in Russia, who are homosexuals, to see that,” she told BBC Sports regarding her support of queer Russians.
Bisexual Speed Skater Ireen Wüst
Wüst has been winning gold medals for her homeland, the Netherlands, since 2006. She became an Olympian very young, at age 19, and is considered the most successful Dutch sportswoman to ever compete in the Olympics.
She is also openly bisexual, and married her wife, Letitia de Jong, in October 2017.
Queer Snowboarder Cheryl Maas
LGBTQ Olympian Cheryl Maas competed back in 2014, but according to New Now Next, had an issue with the venue due to Russia’s archaic policies on human rights.
“With the choice for Russia, the IOC is taking a step back in time,” she told NU Sports around the time of the 2014 Olympics. “Russia lives in the past while looking to the future.”
She is currently married to Stine Brun Kjeldaas, another retired Olympian, and is active on social media, showcasing her life with her wife and two lovely daughters.
Figure Skater Adam Rippon Hates Mike Pence
Adam Rippon, the first openly gay man who qualified for the U.S. Winter Olympics, has a thing or two to say about the vice president. He doesn’t think that Mike Pence should lead the 2018 U.S. Olympic delegation next month in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
“You mean Mike Pence, the same Mike Pence that funded gay conversion therapy?” Rippon told USA Today. “I’m not buying it.”
He explained that he would welcome the chance to speak with Pence, as it could be an opportunity to make his voice heard. However, he would probably refuse an invitation to the white house or a traditional meet-and-greet with the vice president.
“I think it’s important that we stand up for what we believe in and we speak out against things that we think are wrong and unjust,” he explained. “If I talked to people the way that President Trump talks to people, my mom would kick my ass.”
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