Olympics 2021 - these athletes are queer
For a long time, male and female athletes were afraid that coming out might affect their careers. However, this year's Olympic Games show that those affected are now much more confident in dealing with the issue.
Many athletes competing in 2021 are open about their queerness. The following list gives a small insight into the most well-known LGBTQs in the Olympic sports scene. However, the overview is not exhaustive. According to a report inOutsportsmagazine, more than 150 queers are competing for medals this year.
Which Olympians are queer?
Today, queer athletes can be found in numerous Olympic disciplines. Whether in basketball, field hockey, soccer, athletics, horseback riding, or swimming, the list is long.
Brittney Griner, among others, has proven in the past that coming out in sports can also be wonderfully combined with success. She is one of the best players in the WNBA and was able to prove her qualities at the Olympics in 2017. At that time she won gold. That she is queer, she never made a secret. On the contrary. She used her popularity in the past to be, among other things, a role model for young people who are in a similar situation and do not know how to deal with their sexual orientation.
Laurel Hubbard - a much-discussed Olympia participation.
Olympian Laurel Hubbard's participation in the Olympics already made waves in the run-up to the event. The New Zealander is the first transsexual participant in the history of the Olympics. She competes for her country in weightlifting. And it was precisely this that bothered some critics in the run-up.
Could she possibly have advantages because of her transsexuality? After all, she has more power than "cis-women", doesn't she?
The discussion could only be ended because Hubbert underwent a test in connection with which her testosterone levels were measured. Criticism of this procedure appeared, among others, in the social networks. While some could understand the demands for a check of the same basic requirements, others perceived the procedure as discrimination.
No rarity: Queers as favorites at the Olympics
Tom Daley competes in water diving for Great Britain. He decided to go public and come out a few years ago. Even then, this step did not harm his career at the Olympics.
Today, he, who is now even a proud father, is definitely one of the favorites in his sport. However, he is not only a successful athlete and loving husband, but also a person who repeatedly speaks out for the rights of queer people. Among other things, he is also active in social networks, posts videos around sports and co. and also always includes his family in the content. The message to be conveyed in this context seems clear: Yes, it is possible to be an athlete, successful AND queer.
How many male and female athletes are queer?
Even though there are more and more athletes who openly admit their queerness, it cannot be denied that certainly numerous people who are in the public eye also struggle with their sexual orientation.
Be it out of shame or fear of no longer being accepted by fans and fellow campaigners: the list of reasons listed here is long. All the more, however, those affected feel it as a kind of "liberating blow" when they, for example, come out with a "Yes, I'm gay!"and realize that in most cases nothing changes for them in terms of career and reputation.
An answer to the question of how many athletes are actually queer can certainly never be given. But one thing is certain: every outing can be seen as a statement... both for the person concerned and for the rest of the community.
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